Racing officials in Pennsylvania have suspended jockey Paco Lopez 30 days for his ride aboard Ridin With Biden in the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup Stakes at Parx on Sept. 23. Lopez waived his right to appeal and began serving his sentence Sept. 28.
The ruling indicates that Lopez was cited for “failure to give his best effort and failure to use the proper diligence” in the race, where he finished third. It cites Pennsylvania regulations requiring horses be ridden out to the finish, as well as one requiring “a licensee shall not … engage in inappropriate, illegal, or unethical conduct which violates the commission's rules and regulations of racing, is inconsistent with the best interests and integrity of racing, or otherwise undermines the general public's faith, public perception, and confidence in the racing industry.”
According to the Equibase chart, Lopez and Ridin With Biden stalked eventual winner Next until midway through the final turn, when the favorite proved too much for him. Then, the chart indicates the horse was then “eased in the final stages, costing the place.” My Imagination (84-1) popped up for second by a nose over Ridin With Biden.
Ridin With Biden won the Greenwood last year and came to the race off an allowance victory at Parx on Aug. 22. He went off at odds of 3-1.
A message to Lopez's agent was unreturned Friday.
Lopez's suspension runs through Oct. 27.
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