Quinonez suspended for DQ, appeals

Jockey Luis Quinonez, who is the defending riding champ at Oaklawn Park, has been suspended three racing days by the Oaklawn board of stewards following the disqualification of his mount, Rated Fiesty, from first to third in last weekend's $50,000 Dixie Belle Stakes.

Quinonez was suspended from Friday through Sunday. He has appealed the ruling, which was issued on Wednesday, and was subsequently named to ride horses at Oaklawn for Friday.

Earlier this week, Kristin Crawford, an authorized agent and the Oaklawn-based assistant to Rated Fiesty's trainer, Steve Asmussen, filed an appeal to the Arkansas Racing Commission contesting the stewards' decision to disqualify Rated Fiesty in the Dixie Belle. That appeal, as well as the appeal by Quinonez, could be heard at the commission's meeting at Oaklawn on Saturday.

Rated Fiesty led throughout for a neck win in the Dixie Belle, but the connections of the third-place finisher, Palanka City, lodged an objection concerning the stretch run. The disqualification of Rated Fiesty resulted in runner-up Kadira being placed first and Palanka City being moved up to second. Rated Fiesty had won all three of her starts heading into the Dixie Belle.