Turf Paradise stewards have suspended jockey Fausto Henrique Rodrigues Da Silva 30 days for what they ruled was “conduct detrimental to racing” after he eased 1-20 favorite Juror at the start of a $3,500 maiden claiming race on March 10 at the Phoenix, Ariz., track.
The ruling cites Da Silva “for his failure to take his mount … to the track vet for an examination, after he suspected that the horse might have an injury.”
It's not clear whether or not a track veterinarian conducted a pre-race examination of Juror on March 10. Turf Paradise general manager Vincent Francia said Juror “would have been subject to” a pre-race inspection but could not confirm whether a track or regulatory veterinarian actually did see the horse that morning. Dr. Sue Gale, state veterinarian for the Arizona Department of Gaming, could not be reached for confirmation.
Juror was claimed out of the race by trainer Eliska Kubinova on behalf of Gary and Deborah Lusk and D.J. Saddler. Arizona does not have a voided claim rule, meaning a claimed horse becomes the property of new owners once the starting gate opens, whether or not the horse finishes the race.
Juror was making his 15th career start and second for trainer Juan Pablo Silva and owners Tijuana Racing Stable. Prior to this $3,000 maiden claiming contest, he raced for a $30,000 claiming price in his previous start on Feb. 1, finishing second.
The Tapit gelding previously raced for California-based trainer Sal Gonzalez and Tricar Stables, Inc., which had claimed him for $50,000 in his third career start at Del Mar on Aug. 28, 2020. His last race for Gonzalez was June 20, 2021, in a $50,000 maiden claiming race in which he finished seventh of 12 runners.
Equibase shows Da Silva with 17 wins from 88 lifetime mounts in North America, all at Turf Paradise, beginning last Dec. 28.
Juan Pablo Silva, Juror's trainer of record on March 10, has numerous regulatory rulings against him since 2005, according to ThoroughbredRulings.com, including a 2008 license revocation from the Arizona Department of Racing that gives as the reason: “being of not good repute or moral character.” Silva, who has won 446 races from 2,333 starts since 1997, did not have any starters from June 2008 until April 2014.
Turf Paradise track announcer Craig Braddick, who posted the Da Silva ruling on Twitter, said trainer Silva had his hearing before the stewards postponed until March 24.
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