Jockey Victor Espinoza gets seven-day suspension for careless riding
The riding tactics employed by jockey Victor Espinoza on Saturday during the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita resulted in the stewards announcing on Sunday a seven-day suspension.
Espinoza was the jockey aboard Sky Kingdom, who drifted wide on the first turn of the 1 1/8-mile race, affecting the path of the race favorite, Shared Belief, who was still able to win by a neck over Fed Biz.
Stewards penalized Espinoza for “riding carelessly, or willfully, so as to permit their mount to interfere with or impede any horse.”
Espinoza and Mike Smith, Shared Belief’s jockey, had words afterward.
Espinoza is the regular rider for Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome.
If he doesn’t appeal the ruling, Espinoza would be suspended for seven racing days beginning on Oct 4.
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