Heriberto Figueroa | Horse Racing Free Tips

Spill At Monmouth Sends Mejia, Figueroa To Hospital For Evaluation

Jockeys Tomas Mejia and Heriberto Figueroa were taken by ambulance to Monmouth Medical Center following a spill in Sunday's fifth race at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

Mejia was “transported for further treatment and evaluation for a head trauma,” according to Dr. Angelo Chinnici, Monmouth Park's Medical Director.

Figueroa was “alert and oriented and will be evaluated for a possible concussion,” Chinnici said.

“I expect he will be treated and released,” Chinnici said.

The incident occurred when Mejia's mount, Service With Honor, appeared to clip heels with a tiring One More Nightcap coming out of the final turn of the mile and a sixteenth starter allowance on the grass, with Mejia slamming into the turf face down. Figueroa, aboard Rose for a Saint, went down trying to avoid Service With Honor.

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Go East Young Man: Heriberto Figueroa Moving Tack To Monmouth Park

While there's been a lot of talk about jockeys who say they won't be riding at New Jersey's Monmouth Park this summer because of the strict riding crop rules put in place by the state's racing commission, agent John Salamone is eager to report that he will be representing 21-year-old Heriberto Figueroa, who is moving his tack from Southern California to the Jersey Shore for the meet that begins May 28.

“It's a great opportunity to take a kid who has a bright future,” said Salamone, who will also represent Jomar Torres for the third consecutive year at Monmouth while handling Chantal Sutherland's book at Gulfstream Park in South Florida. “He can sit on a horse and ride,” Salamone added, “and he doesn't use the whip that much.”

New Jersey's rule, the strictest in North America, prohibits use of the whip for anything other than safety purposes.

Salamone said he was contacted by jockey Jose Ortiz, who got to know Figueroa at Puerto Rico's Escuela Vocacional Hipica riding school, where Jose and brother Irad Ortiz Jr. graduated, along with many other top riders.

“He called me and said he wanted to move East,” Ortiz said of Figueroa. “I know the kids from the jockey school, and I think he can ride a little bit. Heriberto has a great work ethic. He's a very nice, humble person and I know he's going to work as hard as he can. Monmouth is a great meet for him to ride.”

Figueroa launched his career in his native Puerto Rico, then rode during the Gulfstream Park Championship Meet in 2018 before heading to California, where he made an immediate impact, teaming up frequently with leading trainer Peter Miller. He finished his first full year as an apprentice with 103 wins from 582 mounts and finished in the top three in 47% of his races.

Figueroa won stakes for Miller and trainer Richard Baltas, who sent the jockey to Ohio last year to win the $200,000 Steel Valley Sprint Stakes aboard Vertical Threat.

“He's a great kid who always works hard and has a good attitude,” Miller said of Figueroa. “We won quite a few races together and I think he has a lot of talent.”

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Vertical Threat Invades From California To Win Steel Valley Sprint At Mahoning Valley

Breaking a step slowly from the rail post under Heriberto Figueroa, MyRaceHorse.com and Slam Dunk Racing's Vertical Threat quickly assumed command and was never seriously threatened en route to a 7 1/2-length victory in Monday's $200,000 Steel Valley Sprint at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Youngstown, Ohio.

Sent off as the even-money favorite, the Richard Baltas-trained colt by Tapiture covered six furlongs on a muddy track in 1:10.07 in the race restricted to 3-year-olds. Williston Way edged Flatter Me Please for second after the two raced as a team down the stretch, with Night Time finishing 6 1/2 lengths further back in fourth in the field of 12. Shashashakemeup and Golden Candy were scratched.

Vertical Threat paid $4.20 to win as the even-money favorite. He earned $112,800 for the victory.

While he was coming off a sixth-place finish after setting quick fractions for the opening six furlongs in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs last time out on the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby day card, Vertical Threat prepared for the Steel Valley Sprint in Southern California at the San Luis Rey training center. His first three races were in California, including a victory in the restricted Smiling Tiger Stakes at Del Mar in late July.

Southern California-based Figueroa – now a perfect three-for-three on the colt – guided Vertical Threat off the rail shortly after assuming command and remained well off the fence through fractions of :22.89, :45.59 and :57.63.

The victory was the third in five starts for Vertical Threat, produced from the Omega Code mare Viola Blew By and bred in Kentucky by Albert Davis and Teresa Davis. MyRaceHorse.com paid $100,000 for Vertical Threat at the 2019 OBS April Sale of 2-year-olds in training.

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Whip Violations: Figueroa Suspended, Prat Fined By Santa Anita Stewards

Under the new whip rules implemented at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., this month, stewards have issued rulings to a pair of jockeys for violations on Oct. 18, reports the Daily Racing Form.

Jockey Heriberto Figueroa has been suspended for three racing days for using his whip more than the allotted six times and not in an underhanded position during that day's seventh race, which he won aboard Savvy Gal. It was the rider's third violation in the last 60 days, according to the ruling.

Flavien Prat has been fined $300 for not using the whip in an underhanded position in the G2 Twilight Derby on Oct. 18, in which he finished fifth aboard Farmington Road.