The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation License Review Committee met June 23 and did not advance issuing Kentucky racing licenses to Thoroughbred trainer Juan Vazquez and jockey Patrick Valenzuela.
Informed by committee chair Greg Harbut that his application was likely to be rejected, Vazquez withdrew his application. Denied applications can affect applications in other states.
The committee voted to defer Valenzuela's license application.
Vazquez, currently running horses at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in West Virginia, has faced extensive regulatory troubles over his training career, including receiving a lengthy suspension in Pennsylvania after stewards ruled that he acted in a "grossly negligent, cruel, and abusive" manner by shipping a mare in 2022 from Belmont Park to Parx Racing while she was suffering from severe, chronic laminitis; the horse was euthanized upon arrival.
READ: Vazquez Suspension Honored in New York after Pennsylvania Ruling
Valenzuela, once considered one of the country's most talented riders, had seen his riding career repeatedly derailed by substance abuse, legal troubles, and failures to comply at times with required rehabilitation measures. This spring, after nearly a 10-year absence, the 63-year-old resumed riding at Turf Paradise in Arizona after he was unsuccessful in securing a jockey's license in California. He is 4-for-36 in 2026 while also riding at Horseshoe Indianapolis and Mountaineer.
READ: Valenzuela Makes Riding Comeback at Turf Paradise
Vasquez answered questions posed by members of the committee in person Tuesday at The Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington. Valenzuela was not present, nor did he have any representation there.
