California riders Drayden Van Dyke and Umberto Rispoli will each be serving three-day suspensions for repeatedly violating new whip rules in the state. Both riders have been fined for previous whip rule violations, which now prohibit jockeys from hitting horses overhanded, hitting more than six times in a race, or hitting more than two times in succession.
Rispoli will serve his days Jan. 16, 17, and 18 for the latest offense in the fifth race at Santa Anita on Jan. 8. Van Dyke will serve his days Jan. 17, 18, and 22 after violating the rules in the third race the following day.
It is the fourth offense related to whip use in 60 days for both riders.
Jockeys at Santa Anita have spoken out against the rules, which were approved by the California Horse Racing Board in late 2020. Hall of Famer Mike Smith took up for his fellow riders, raising questions about the safety of under-handed whip use and also voicing concerns about the fairness of whip limitations to horseplayers.
Read Smith's open letter to the CHRB on the issue here.
Read more at The Blood-Horse
The post Van Dyke, Rispoli Handed Days Over Repeated Whip Use Infractions appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
