Tony Maragh fined, suspended for questionable ride

The stewards at Gulfstream Park on Wednesday handed Tony Maragh a 60-day suspension and $1,000 fine in the wake of the jockey’s controversial ride aboard Musical Heart, the runner-up in the fourth race Sunday at the South Florida track.

Both penalties are the maximum allowed under Florida statutes. Meanwhile, Gulfstream general manager Bill Badgett said in a media release that the track is further reviewing the race through its own internal investigation, one that could include whether the race attracted any wagering anomalies. Further penalties could be meted out by track management if warranted.

In addition, Aubrey Maragh, the trainer of Musical Heart and the jockey’s uncle, has been denied access to the Gulfstream grounds by track officials, pending the outcome of the internal investigation.

Musical Heart lost by a head to Richest Gifts in the $41,750 allowance race. Tony Maragh never put Musical Heart, an 8-1 shot, to a drive, with the Equibase chart reading in part: “Musical Heart … still unasked in the turn, entered top stretch eight wide and continued to gain without being persevered with.”

According to a track release, Tony Maragh, 28, told the stewards during a Wednesday hearing that he “was unable to persevere with Musical Heart because he felt weak and thought he might fall off his mount.”

Aubrey Maragh, who also was questioned Wednesday by the stewards, was adamant in a phone interview earlier in the day that his nephew had been severely weakened and dehydrated by pulling weight in the jockeys’ room sauna beforehand in order to make the assigned weight of 118 pounds on Musical Heart.

“He pulled six pounds in the hot box,” said Aubrey Maragh. “The horse has issues, and I told him the day before I was going to scratch, so [Tony] ate a lot the night before. When I told him we were running [Sunday morning], he hit the hot box. I told him it was the worst thing he could do.”

Aubrey Maragh said Tony Maragh told him that during the race “he was cramping and felt like he needed to jump off, like he was going to pass out, but that God saved him.”

“This happens to a lot of jockeys,” Aubrey Maragh said. “People don’t know how bad it is. They don’t have the facts, but they jump to a lot of conclusions.”

Tony Maragh has a history of trouble making weight, which may partly explain why he rides infrequently. The ride on Musical Heart, a 3-year-old gelding owned by Joseph Bucci, was his first in six days, his only mount Sunday, and only his third mount since Aug. 5 after his return to Florida followed an unproductive three-month stint riding in Canada.

Aubrey Maragh saddled a second horse in the Sunday race – Northern, the 7-2 third choice who faded to sixth of seven after contesting a hot pace. Northern was ridden by another of the trainer’s nephews, apprentice Romero Maragh, 18.

Tony and Romero Maragh are among five members of the Maragh family who have ridden in South Florida in recent years. Rajiv, active in New York, is easily the most successful, with nearly $95 million in mount earnings. Rajiv and Tony Maragh are cousins. Allen, now a trainer, last rode in April 2017, and Shamir last rode in March 2015. The family originally hails from Jamaica.

Tony Maragh has 326 wins and nearly $4.8 million in mount earnings from 2,725 mounts since he began riding in 2008.

Richest Gifts, ridden by Samy Camacho for trainer Joe Orseno, returned $18.40.

◗ A 10-race Friday card with a $48,000 allowance (race 3) and several races with big fields has a first post of 2 p.m. Eastern. The Rainbow 6, which spans races 5-10, began Wednesday with $73,061 in the jackpot.

◗ The weekend highlight is the $100,000 Benny the Bull, to be run Saturday for Florida-breds at seven furlongs.