Rosario sits down, leaving door open for Gonzalez to snare leading rider title

Thistledown’s season-long jockey race between Luis Gonzalez and Yamil Rosario was a dead heat at the start of Tuesday’s card, the 109th day of the season. Each had 74 winners and both had ridden the same number of horses, 289. Mike Greenfield, the top Thistledown agent for the past 15 years, represents both riders.

Rosario may have ended the battle for leading rider when he informed the Thistledown stewards that he was dropping his appeal of a seven-day suspension they handed him for careless riding in the third race on Oct. 1 that resulted in the disqualification of his mount, Plant City Red.

His suspension began on Tuesday and runs until Oct. 26. Rosario will miss five days of racing and will have nine cards left to make up any ground he loses to Gonzalez during his absence.

Jamie Ness is the leading trainer with 46 winners, next in line is Jeff Radosevich with 33 and Gerald Bennett with 21.

◗ Thistledown stewards had a very busy day Oct. 13 when there were claims of foul in four of the eight races. One winning horse was taken down. Jockey Noel Vigil, who was aboard the disqualified winner, shook off the disqualification in a hurry. He went out and won the next race with Captain Mark.

◗ Huber Villa-Gomez made longshot players happy last Saturday when he booted home winners paying $20.80, $19.80, and $19.