Los Alamitos redistributes purses after whip violations

The purses of two claiming races at Los Alamitos in September and October have been ordered redistributed after jockey Barrington Harvey was twice cited for excessive use of the whip.

The $13,200 purse of the seventh race at Los Alamitos on Sept. 21 was ordered redistributed by Del Mar stewards on Nov. 9. According to a ruling issued in September, Harvey used his whip 12 times, or six times over the limit on race winner Smarty Nose.

In their ruling, the Del Mar stewards ordered that the $7,200 first-place prize be forfeited and that owner Silvia Soto, trainer Kelly Castaneda and Harvey return their portions of the winnings.

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Harvey, 61, was fined $500 and suspended three days for the violation in September.

Last Sunday, Los Alamitos stewards ordered that part of the $8,600 purse of the first race on Oct. 27 be redistributed after Harvey was cited for using his whip 11 times on fourth-place finisher San Jac. Owner Rodrigo Quinteros, trainer Roman Figueroa and Harvey were ordered to forfeit their $600 share of the purse.

Harvey was fined $600 and suspended for six racing days for the Oct. 27 infraction, according to a ruling published by Los Alamitos stewards earlier this month.

Through Wednesday, Harvey has won 21 races this year, and 740 races in his career. He rides primarily at Los Alamitos, focusing on the Los Alamitos evening meeting, which includes sprints for lower-level Thoroughbreds.

No pari-mutuel payoffs were affected by the disqualifications.

There is a precedent in California for horses being disqualified from purse money after a rider excessively used the whip. In 2022, the $60,000 winner’s share of a maiden race was redistributed after jockey Drayden Van Dyke used his whip 11 times.

Earlier this month, Van Dyke was fined $15,600 and suspended three days for using his whip once more than the permitted level in a winning ride aboard Soul of an Angel in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 2. The purse of the race was not altered.

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