Mena jailed overnight after DUI arrest

Jockey Miguel Mena was arrested and jailed Tuesday night in Louisville, Ky., for driving under the influence, his second alcohol-related incident in the last several weeks.

On Aug. 1, Mena missed a morning flight to ride Soul Warrior, the eventual winner of the $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park, following a night of partying in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where his Saratoga meet had peaked with a victory aboard Backtalk in the July 30 Sanford Stakes. Dale Beckner picked up the ride on Soul Warrior.

Mena, a 22-year-old native of Peru, rode in two more races at Saratoga before returning to Louisville, where he has a home. He had ridden in recent weeks at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., where into Friday he had won with 7 of 59 mounts. Mena told the Louisville Courier-Journal in a story on Aug. 24 that he had been regularly attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

Mena was released after being arraigned Wednesday morning. His agent, Steve Elzey, said the DUI charge will not prevent Mena from continuing to ride races. Mena is named to ride in seven of the eight races carded Friday at Ellis.

The Saratoga stewards on Wednesday said Mena is not currently eligible to ride in New York, meaning Backtalk will need a new rider for the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes on Monday.