Parx Racing jockey Hector Caballero was issued a 10-day suspension by track stewards there for "misuse of the riding crop" after striking his mount Belongs to Babe after the finish of the 10th race at Parx July 27.
The ruling, issued Aug. 3 and obtained Aug. 5 from the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission, stated that stewards met with Caballero July 30 and determined he was in violation of racing rules. Those rules require that a riding crop shall be used during a race for the "safety, correction, and encouragement of a horse in an appropriate, proportionate, and professional manner" and that the crop should not be used "after the finish of a race except when necessary to control the horse."
Video replays show Caballero urging Belongs to Babe down the stretch on the outside, only to fall a neck short of catching Solid Gold Dancer at the finish. Then, while galloping out, Caballero raises his crop above his head in his right hand before striking her on the shoulder.
Though Belongs to Babe crossed the wire second, the Martin Silvio-trained and John Witte-owned runner was elevated to first after Solid Gold Dancer was disqualified for impeding another runner. An inquiry into that incident, in which the track feed repeatedly showed the head-on replay, further captured Caballero's post-race action.
His suspension is scheduled to run from Aug. 6-15, though he can appeal.
The decision by the Parx stewards comes as many racing commissions across the country are adding restrictions and penalties related to the use of the riding crop. On July 28, the Pennsylvania commission adopted a six-strike rule endorsed by Mid-Atlantic regulators, according to the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.
Stewards in other states have been issuing fines for excessive riding-crop use. Through Wednesday, four riders at Delaware Park were fined $500 apiece for infractions in racing from July 30-Aug. 1 in rulings that were posted on the Association of Racing Commissioners International website.
