Paco Lopez gets 30-day suspension for not persevering with mount
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The Parx stewards suspended jockey Paco Lopez 30 days for “failure to give his best effort and failure to use the proper diligence” while aboard Riden With Biden in the Grade 2, $200,000 Greenwood Cup at Parx on Sept. 23.
Lopez waived his right of appeal. The suspension began on Thursday and lasts through Oct. 27.
As Next, the 1-5 favorite, was drawing away to a 25-length victory in the Greenwood Cup, Lopez basically stopped riding Ridin With Biden, the 7-2 second choice, in the late stages of the race and his was caught for second by 84-1 shot My Imagination.
The difference in purse money between second and third was $19,000.
Through Thursday, Lopez ranked second in wins among all North American jockeys with 225. His mounts have earned $10,082,011, ranking him 13th nationally.
Lopez was the leading rider at the Monmouth Park meet with 75 wins. His 75 wins at Parx have him in a fifth-place tie in the standings. Lopez has won six races from 10 mounts putting him atop the standings at the Monmouth-at-Meadowlands meet.
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