FAIRPLEX : Stewards Suspend Jockey

Jockey Brian Long has been suspended indefinitely by Fairplex Park stewards because he failed to appear at a hearing Monday to answer questions about a sexual harassment charge.

The charge was made by female jockey Joy Scott, who told stewards that Long was often grabbing at her and once danced naked on a stool in front of her.

Long and Antonio Castanon engaged in a whip-to-whip fight during the stretch run of a race at Hollywood Park last summer. After the race, Long went after Castanon and the two went at it again in the middle of the track.

“I didn’t do this to create more problems for him, but it was getting worse,” Scott said. “He just wouldn’t listen. He would grab my rear and I would have to slap his hand away, but that wouldn’t stop him from doing it again.

“I know that men act like men and I can let a lot of things go by, but not this. I’ve been riding since 1981 and always have been respected by the male riders. When he danced naked on the stool, that was the icing on the cake.”

The day after she made the complaint, Scott claimed Long verbally abused her and spit in her face.

Steward David Samuel said that Long called the track Tuesday, but did not indicate when he would return.

“Until he appears, he will remain suspended,” Samuel said.

Long could not be reached for comment.

Notes

Tina Fleet, ridden by Scott Stevens, caught and passed 4-5 favorite Candid Moments in deep stretch to post a neck victory in Wednesday’s $110,000 Barretts Debutante, the 6 1/2-furlong 11th-race feature for 2-year-old fillies who were offered for sale at a Barretts auction. Corey Nakatani sent Candid Moments to the lead going around the first turn, but Artica, ridden by Fernando Valenzuela, challenged for the lead during the entire backstretch to set the race up for Tina Fleet’s stretch run. . . . Post time for the first race will be 1 p.m., beginning Saturday and will remain at that time for the remainder of the meet