By T. D. Thornton
Two of the planet's top jockeys, Ryan Moore and Irad Ortiz, Jr., were penalized by the Santa Anita Park stewards for riding infractions aboard winning mounts on the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup program.
Moore was fined $20,800 and suspended one day (Nov. 12) for being one whip strike over the limit of six when guiding 5-2 favorite Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) to victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Under Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) rules, the fine equates to 10% of Moore's personal purse winnings from that stakes.
Cutting the corner for home with a deft rail run after looking hopelessly bottled up at the fence, Moore's winning ride on Auguste Rodin has been widely praised as one of the most brilliantly executed moves on the entirety of Breeders' Cup weekend.
Moore was also assigned three violation points that will be expunged from his record on May 5, 2024, or six months from the date of final HISA adjudication.
Ortiz was suspended three days (Nov. 12, 17, 18) “for failure to maintain a straight course in the stretch and causing interference” aboard 11-10 favorite Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper), who successfully defended her title by winning the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
There was no stewards' inquiry posted after Goodnight Olive's win. The Equibase chart noted that Goodnight Olive “drifted in, taking the path of Society [Gun Runner] near the three-sixteenths pole” before she “quickly opened clear and held safely.”
It was unclear at deadline for this story if Moore planned an appeal. After his Breeders' Cup engagements, he flew to Australia, where he was booked to ride in the G1 Melbourne Cup Nov. 7.
Moore is currently rated tops in points for the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' World's Best Jockey rankings.
Ortiz's agent, Steve Rushing, told TDN that Ortiz is still weighing his options regarding an appeal.
“We're not sure yet. We spoke with a lawyer [Sunday]. We're going to make a decision either [later Monday or Tuesday]. It's a possibility, but we haven't decided yet,” Rushing said.
Ortiz, currently North America's leading jockey in both purse winnings and victories for 2023, is in the midst of serving a three-day “careless riding” suspension (Nov. 5, 9, 10) imposed by the Aqueduct Racetrack stewards for an Oct. 22 bumping incident that resulted in a victory for Ortiz's mount.
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