Velazquez To Serve Three-Day Suspension For Spa DQ

John Velazquez, the winningest jockey in the history of Saratoga Race Course, will serve a three-day suspension Aug. 28-30 stemming from the disqualification of his mount from a win in the tenth race there Aug. 16.

Velazquez waived his right to an appeal, according to an Aug. 20 stewards’ ruling posted on the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) website.

The race in which Velazquez got disqualified was an $80,000 optional claiming/allowance turf route. He was aboard the 4.9-1 fourth choice in the betting, Vino Rouge (Vino Rosso), a filly who crossed the finish wire first but was placed fourth by the stewards for interference to the filly who ran fourth while also causing problems all the way back to the eighth-place finisher.

The Equibase chart stated that Vino Rouge “took over command with three-sixteenths to go, inched away under a drive to the eighth pole, dug in under threat and shied out being shown a left-handed crop and got tugged on the right rein and came out forcing Wrigleyville (Into Mischief) to check a sixteenth from home which in turn forced both Pretty Ana (Quality Road) and Toy Collector (Frankel {GB}) to check and alter [while] forcing a chain of steadied and checks back through to Hopesndreams (Ride On Curlin).”