Three Aqueduct Riders Fined by NYSGC
Description:
Three jockeys at Aqueduct Racetrack have been fined by the New York State Gaming Commission for "failure to ride in a professional manner" in separate incidents earlier in February.
The stiffest penalty of $3,000 was levied against Junior Alvarado for "failure to best effort forward" in his ride aboard Zippity Zoom, fifth-place finisher in the sixth race Feb. 12.
In the six-furlong inner track allowance test for New York-bred fillies and mares, Zippity Zoom, the second choice in the 10-horse field, was forwardly placed early, "backed away on the turn while well in hand and lacking the clearest of sailing, wandered out to be six wide proceeding down the stretch, missed out on the final major award," according to the Equibase chart footnotes.
Jockey Cornelio Velasquez was levied a $1,000 fine for "failure to maintain a straight course inside the 1/8 pole after having been previously warned" for his ride in the fifth race Feb. 15.
Angel Saez-Arroyo was fined $1,000 for "failure to maintain a straight course leaving the starting gate after having been previously warned" in the seventh race Feb. 12.