Velazquez serving days, then heading for Royal Ascot

ELMONT, N.Y. – Saturday’s Belmont Stakes program is going to be the last day for John Velazquez in the United States for about two weeks.
On Sunday, Velazquez was to start a three-day suspension stemming from a ride on Following Sea in his debut race on March 6 at Santa Anita. Velazquez was cited for “crossing over without sufficient clearance and causing interference,” which resulted in the disqualification of Following Sea from second to third.
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Velazquez will not ride Sunday or the following Friday and Saturday. He is not riding Thursday to attend a function, according to his agent, Ron Anderson.
Velazquez is then heading to England to ride several runners for Wesley Ward at the Royal Ascot meeting.
Velazquez and Ward have formed a lethal team at the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, combining for nine wins, including Happy Soul’s 11 1/2-length victory in Thursday’s $150,000 Astoria Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Ward said that Happy Soul, a daughter of Runhappy, would be pointed to the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack Stakes on Aug. 8 at Saratoga.

