Stewards in New Jersey issued jockey Umberto Rispoli a one-day suspension and fined him $6,000 for exceeding the permitted number of riding crop strikes in piloting Journalism to victory in the July 19 Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park.
The violation was first reported July 22 by Daily Racing Form, and the Tuesday ruling was posted to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority website around 10 a.m. ET July 23.
Stewards determined Rispoli struck Journalism eight times, two above HISA's six-strike limit to a horse's hindquarters. HISA rules state that going 1-3 strikes over the limit results typically in a $250 fine or 10% of the jockey's portion of the purse, whichever is greater, plus a one-day suspension. Rispoli's winning mount fee was $60,000 in the $1,017,500 Haskell, a 1 1/8-mile race that Journalism rallied to win in a closing yards by a half-length.
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A riding crop fine relative to the purse of the race is meant as a deterrent for violations in races of high importance and value, although such violations still occur periodically. This spring, Junior Alvarado was suspended and fined for a riding crop violation in urging Sovereignty to victory over Journalism in the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs.
Rispoli's agent, Matt Nakatani, told Daily Racing Form's Marcus Hersh, who initially reported the infraction, that Rispoli would waive his right of appeal and planned to serve the suspension Aug. 1.
