Jockey Yaranga serving 10-day suspension for striking a rival horse

Jockey Yuri Yaranga began serving a 10-day suspension on Monday after being charged by West Virginia stewards with striking a rival horse in the face with his whip during a July 10 race at Mountaineer Park.

Yaranga, who has 18 wins from 181 mounts this year and 2,323 wins during his 21-year riding career, was riding Yo Yo Mon in deep stretch of the eighth race on July 10 when his mount began to drift outward from the rail and a rival horse, Lucky Stepper, approached from the outside. Yaranga then reaches high over his shoulder to use his whip, and the whip strikes across the face of Lucky Stepper, near the handle.

Yaranga continued to ride aggressively after the strike, including extending his elbow toward Lucky Stepper's rider, Luis Negron. After an inquiry, Yo Yo Mon was placed second, and Lucky Stepper was elevated to first.

The stewards held a hearing into the incident on July 16 and issued the ruling on July 17, citing "interference” and “striking a horse across the face.” Yaranga will be prohibited from riding until Aug. 1.

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