Fan Says Solis Hit Him After Losing Race

Jockey Alex Solis was accused of battery by a race fan in a report filed with the Arcadia Police Department for an incident after the ninth race on Wednesday.

Vincent Arias, 37, of Chino told The Times his nose was broken and his right eye swollen when Solis punched him on his way back to the jockey’s room after finishing third on 9-10 favorite Snow Vest in the day’s final race.

Solis acknowledged Thursday that he had spoken with police and told his side of the story.

“Gary (Stevens) and I were walking back after the last race and (Arias) was standing in front of me and he wouldn’t move,” Solis said. “He was yelling and cussing at me and telling me I had ridden a bad race and he had his hands in his pockets.

“I stopped to look for security and I couldn’t find anyone. When he took his hands out of his pockets, I just swung at him with my left hand. . . . As soon as I swung at him, security was right there. I wanted to defend myself. I didn’t know what he was going to do.”

According to the police report, a witness, Mike Klep of Commerce, said Arias told Solis, “You could have run a better race.” Klep said Solis then hit Arias and held his helmet “in a threatening position.”