Smith, Ortiz Jr. to Have Appeals Heard in Saudi March 8
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Photo: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia/Neville Hopwood
Mike Smith wins The International Jockeys Challenge Feb. 28 in Saudi Arabia
Jockeys Mike Smith and Irad Ortiz Jr., each issued lengthy suspensions for riding infractions at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Saudi Arabia Feb. 29, mostly due to the use of the whip, will have appeals heard before Saudi racing officials there March 8, according to Luis Jauregui, a California Horse Racing Board steward at Santa Anita Park.
Jauregui said he and the other stewards at Santa Anita, Grant Baker and Kim Sawyer, have been in contact with Phil Tuck, stipendiary steward for the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia. Tuck informed them that an update on the jockeys' riding status is expected to be delivered to them by the morning of March 9.
According to the Racing Post, Smith was suspended nine days and fined more than $200,000 for what officials there deemed was excessive use of the whip aboard Midnight Bisou as she rallied to finish second behind Maximum Security in the $20 million Saudi Cup. The Racing Post also reported he received an additional two-day suspension after failing to weigh in properly following the fifth race that evening.
Ortiz was issued an eight-day suspension for excessive use of the whip in the eighth race and was handed another two days for the same offense in the Saudi Cup, where he was aboard fourth-place finisher Mucho Gusto, the Racing Post reported. The jockey, who rides in Florida most often during the winter, was also fined 10% of the prize money he earned.
Jauregui said stewards will seek clarification regarding whether Smith, who rides on their circuit, would be able to participate in "designated races" in California. Designated races are graded stakes at the state's racetracks in which suspended jockeys can participate while under customary suspensions issued from California.
Smith, a Hall of Fame rider who won an international jockey competition in Saudi Arabia Feb. 28, took one suspension day March 6 and resumes riding March 7 with five mounts at Santa Anita in graded stakes and in non-designated races, a maiden race and an allowance on the program.
Ortiz, the Eclipse Award-winning jockey in 2018-19, resumed riding March 4 at Gulfstream Park, winning a pair of races from seven rides. He has numerous other mounts over the course of this week there.
In a March 3 interview with BloodHorse, Smith expressed disappointment with the severity of the Saudi fine and suspensions, which far exceed those in the U.S. for similar violations, saying the "punishment doesn't fit the crime."