Jockeys Geroux, Eaves Fined for Riding Crop Violations

The Del Mar board of stewards fined jockey Florent Geroux $5,000 and jockey Tom Eaves $1,000, respectively, on Nov. 7 for violating California's strict riding crop rules during separate Breeders' Cup World Championships races over the weekend at the seaside oval.

Fines of $500-$1,000 are most common in California for riding-crop violations. This year, the California Horse Racing Board gave stewards the authority to increase fines in high-value contests such as Breeders' Cup to prevent overuse of the crop.

Stewards cited Geroux for using his crop more than six times during the Nov. 5 NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), in which he finished second on Juju's Map , 5 1/4 lengths behind winner Echo Zulu , after tracking in third during the race. 

Geroux was also fined $100 for failure to attend stewards' film review. 

Stewards cited British jockey Eaves for use of the crop above shoulder level in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) aboard Glass Slippers , whom Eaves won the race with a year ago at Keeneland. Glass Slippers raced in mid-pack Saturday before finishing eighth. 

Other penalties from the weekend were given to E.T. Baird, who was fined $5,000 for using his crop more than six times aboard One Timer  in Friday's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) before a ninth-place finish; and, Ricardo Santana Jr. received a $500 fine for hitting his mount, Adens Dream , more than the permissible two times in succession Nov. 4 while narrowly winning Del Mar's second race by a head.