Judge Denies Nakatani Stay of Suspension

The California Horse Racing Board and a Superior Court judge have denied jockey Corey Nakatani’s request for a stay of a five-day suspension, which is to begin Thursday at Santa Anita.

Shauna Weeks, one of Nakatani’s attorneys, said Tuesday that the jockey will go to the state court of appeals in an effort to postpone the suspension. A stay is the first requirement before he can appeal the suspension to the racing board.

Last Friday, the Santa Anita stewards suspended Nakatani for five days and fined him $500 for improper whipping of a horse after he crossed the finish line in a race on Dec. 29. The horse, Tillie’s Joy, broke down as he returned to the unsaddling area and was destroyed.

“The denial by the racing board is almost pro forma, I’m used to that,” Weeks said. “But I thought we would be able to get a temporary restraining order in court.”

Nakatani plans to pay the $500 fine. The suspension, which runs through Feb. 7, includes a heavy stakes weekend, which might be costly to Nakatani if he is not able to ride.

Because of California’s designated-race rule, which allows suspended jockeys to ride in major races, Nakatani would be able to ride Gold And Steel in Sunday’s $500,000 Strub Stakes, but he would miss potential assignments in three other stakes Saturday and Sunday.