Six Los Alamitos jockeys fined for whip-rule violations

Jockeys Tyler Baze, Abel Cedillo, Ruben Fuentes, Juan Hernandez, Jessica Pyfer, and Eduard Rojas were fined earlier this month by Los Alamitos stewards for incidents of excessive use of the whip. All were cited for using the whip more than six times in a race, exceeding the limit of a rule implemented on Oct. 1.

Hernandez was fined $1,250 - $500 for an infraction on Dec. 12 and $750 for a violation the following day. Fuentes was fined $1,250 - $500 for an infraction on Dec. 12 and $750 for an infraction on Friday.

Baze and Pyfer were fined $750 for violations on Dec. 13, while Rojas was fined $750 for a violation on Dec. 11. Cedillo was fined $1,000 for a violation on Friday, his third such penalty in the last 60 days.

Trainer John Sadler was fined $1,000 after Higher Power tested in excess of the permitted level of the analgesic bute after a workout at Del Mar on Aug. 10. Bute is not allowed to be present in excess of 300 nanograms per milliliter of blood in tests taken after workouts, according to California Horse Racing Board rules.

Higher Power won the 2019 Pacific Classic, and was fourth in the race this year. Higher Power was last of 10 in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 7 in his final start. He will begin a stallion career in Kentucky in 2021.