Leading riders Hernandez and Rispoli suspended for whip use

For now, Juan Hernandez and Umberto Rispoli are first and second in the jockey standings at Santa Anita. Through Sunday’s program, Hernandez had 26 wins, one more than Rispoli.

By the end of the month, the standings could look considerably different.

Hernandez is suspended Friday through Sunday for using his whip more than six times aboard Lady Noguez, who finished second in the second race on Jan. 31. Hernandez was cited for his fourth such offense in the last two months.

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Rispoli has been suspended three racing days – Saturday and Sunday and Feb. 19 – for using his whip in an overhanded position once in a win aboard Hit the Road in Saturday’s Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes.

Rispoli is scheduled to ride the Saudi Cup program in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 20. Between the suspension and travel, Rispoli is not expected to resume riding at Santa Anita on a regular basis until Feb. 26.

Santa Anita stewards Ron Church, Luis Jauregui, and Kim Sawyer issued the penalty to Rispoli on Sunday morning.

Rispoli described the mistake as a “brain freeze.”

“I’ve been riding for 15 years,” he said. “I’ve been using the whip how they taught me to use the whip. Sometimes, people make a mistake.

“I don’t think I abused the rule. I should not do it, but I don’t think three days is the equivalent of breaking the rule that I did.”

Rispoli was suspended three days in January for a fourth offense within two months of using the whip more than six times in a race.

Since Oct. 1, California jockeys have been riding under strict whip use rules enacted earlier in 2020 by the California Horse Racing Board.

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Riders are permitted to use the whip no more than six times in a race, always in an underhanded position, and no more than two times in succession without giving their mounts a chance to respond. The new rules have resulted in frequent penalties. Since the start of the Santa Anita meeting on Dec. 26, there have been 17 rulings against 12 riders for such infractions. They have been fined a combined $9,250 with four three-day suspensions issued.

Under the current racing schedule, a three-day suspension equates to a week suspension since Santa Anita largely runs on a Friday-through-Sunday schedule. There is racing this Monday for Presidents Day.

Sawyer said the racing board regulations call for three-day suspensions or $1,000 fines for any rule violations, but that stewards have the discretion to lower penalties for “mitigating circumstances.”

For example, jockey Alexis Centeno was fined $500 for a first offense of using his whip more than six times in a race on Jan. 24.