(Reuters) – Junior Alvarado, who rode Sovereignty to victory in last weekend’s Kentucky Derby, has been fined $62,000 and suspended two racing days for striking the horse more times than is allowed, horse racing authorities said on Saturday.
Alvarado whipped the bay colt eight times during the race, above the maximum six allowed by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. Had he used the riding crop 10 times during the race, he would have been disqualified.
Alvarado will also be suspended for two races in Kentucky on May 29 and 30.
The fine and length of the suspension were doubled because it was Alvarado’s second offense in a 180-day period. The $62,000 represents 20% of his $310,000 share of the winnings.
Before the fine and suspension was announced, Alvarado said he realized he had used the riding crop too many times after reviewing video of the tightly fought race but said he was doing what he needed to do to win, according to Bloodhorse.
“When the extra whip happened, I was right next to the favorite and I needed to do what I needed to do at the time,” he said, according to the online horse racing publication.
“After (watching a replay), I saw I went over, but I had no time to think about that (in the moment). I just wanted to win the biggest race in America.”
Sovereignty beat heavy favourite Journalism down the final straight in sloppy conditions at Churchill Downs to triumph by 1 1/2 lengths.
It was Alvarado’s maiden win at the Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in U.S. thoroughbred racing’s famed Triple Crown.
There will be no Triple Crown winner this year as Sovereignty’s trainer Bill Mott previously said the Godolphin-owned Sovereignty would not compete at the May 17 Preakness at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
Sovereignty is expected to return for the Belmont Stakes on June 7 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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