Valenzuela Receives Indefinite Suspension

Hollywood Park stewards Pete Pedersen, Thomas Ward and David Samuel suspended Patrick Valenzuela indefinitely Thursday and turned the jockey’s case over to the California Horse Racing Board.

Valenzuela, who has a history of drug problems, called in sick at Santa Anita Nov. 3 and has not been allowed to ride since.

To be reinstated, Valenzuela, 28, will have to have medical and psychological evaluations to determine his fitness for a license.

“We haven’t had a chance to meet with Patrick face to face, so we felt the referral was more proper than (suspending him) a certain length of time.” Pederson said. “It’s obvious that we feel he needs evaluation on many levels and the State of California can use some of the great resources it has available to see if he’s fit to be licensed.”

When Valenzuela called in sick at Santa Anita, he said he wanted to take three months off “to straighten out his life.” He also refused Dr. Neal Fisher’s request to take a drug test.

Sam Silverstein, one of two attorneys who represented the jockey, said a report from Coast Laboratory on blood and urine samples taken from Valenzuela Nov. 7 showed him to be clean.

Valenzuela, who was suspended for 60 days late last year after a positive test for cocaine, was treated for depression at a Dana Point hospital before being discharged Tuesday.

During the suspension, Valenzuela is denied access to “all premises in this jurisdiction,” which means that besides being unable to ride in races, he will not be allowed to work horses in the morning.