DEL MAR : Flores Is Arrested by Border Patrol

David Flores, who on Sunday became the first jockey to win three races in a day at the Del Mar meeting, was arrested by Border Patrol officers Monday, accused of being in the United States illegally.

Flores, a native of Mexico, was arrested in the jockeys’ room and later released, but he missed his day’s schedule of eight mounts.

Steve Kean, a Border Patrol information officer in nearby San Marcos, said Flores had no legal documentation that would allow him to be in the country.

“In effect,” Kean said, “he’s an illegal alien.”

Flores, who returned to the track to pick up his things, denied that.

“They took me because they wanted to verify that my papers were in order,” he said through an interpreter. “They are in order, and I’m in the process of getting them together.”

Bill Barisoff, Flores’ agent, could not be contacted.

According to Rudy Murillo, a public information officer for the Immigration and Naturalization Service in San Diego, Flores does not have the necessary papers.

Murillo said that Flores had an H2 visa waiting for him at the American consulate in Tijuana that would have allowed him to remain here. Flores, however, failed to pick it up, despite being notified, and the visa was then canceled, Murillo said.

Apparently, Flores’ previous visa had lapsed.

“And that’s the baffling thing,” Murillo said, indicating that Flores should have been experienced in the procedure. “Ninety-nine percent (of applicants) are clear on the concept, but there’s always that 1% that seems to swim upstream.”

Murillo said Flores will be allowed to leave for Mexico immediately, and that Monday’s arrest would neither go on his record nor keep him from obtaining another visa.

When asked if he would race Wednesday, Flores said, “I’ll answer that on Wednesday.”

If, as the INS indicated, Flores has to return to Mexico and reapply, Murillo said the length of the application process would depend on the backlog of requests at the American consulate.

Flores, 23, was born in Tijuana. According to the Del Mar media guide, he now resides in San Gabriel.

He began racing here in 1989, after establishing himself as the top rider at Caliente, a Tijuana track, during the previous four years.

With 21 victories last season, Flores was among the top 10 jockeys at Del Mar, and he was off to a quick start this season, bringing in four winners during the meeting’s first five days.

Two of the horses Flores was scheduled to ride won and another finished third.

In the first race, Corey Nakatani took over for Flores on Cadillac Red and rode the 5-1 shot to victory.

In the fourth, Kent Desormeaux inherited Classie Marshua and rode the 4-1 shot to victory. In the fifth, Frank Alvarado was third on Well Aware.

Desormeaux also won the third race on Mada, a 23-1 shot.

Horse Racing Notes

A situation similar to David Flores’ arose at Del Mar in 1987 when another Tijuana native, Antonio Castanon, who had six victories in the first five days of the meet, suddenly had immigration problems and had to return to Mexico. Castanon did not take another mount the rest of the season and never returned to the circuit.

Wolf, who was undefeated in eight races in Chile, was favored in the eighth race. Ten lengths behind heading into the far turn, Wolf, with Gary Stevens aboard, began to close and eventually finished second to Reinstate, ridden by Corey Nakatani. Reinstate paid $7.40, $3 and $2.20. . . . Jet Route, a 3-year-old filly sired by Alydar who won her maiden race at Hollywood Park on July 4 by 2 1/2 lengths, had an even more impressive showing in winning the seventh race by 4 1/2 lengths under Chris McCarron. She paid $4, $3 and $2.20.