By Jon Lees

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Jockeys have come out in solidarity with a top rider who has been suspended for six months for continual whip infringements. Paco Lopez is the leading rider by wins in North America with 300 successes out of a career total of more than 4,300 victories. In December last year he was suspended indefinitely for striking a horse across the face with his whip at the end of a race at Parx in Pennsylvania. He apologised saying, “My actions were reactionary, in the heat of the moment, and I am truly sorry.” Lopez was on the sidelines for 50 days before being allowed to return after agreeing to undergo therapy sessions and make donations to the disabled jockey’s charity and an equine after care programme. However, according to regulator HISA, he has been sanctioned for ten further whip violations since January. Announcing a six month suspension, effective immediately, a HISA statement said: “The suspension stems from Mr. Lopez’s violation of the terms of his conditional reinstatement, related to a December 4, 2024 incident involving Mr. Lopez’s use of the riding crop on the Covered Horse, National Law.” Lopez has lodged an appeal but his request to have the suspension stayed was rejected. In a show of solidarity jockeys from across the US came out in support of Lopez with John Velazquez, co-chair of the Jockeys Guild, spoke for the New York riding colony to Fox Sports. He said: “We have to stand with Paco. We think it’s very excessive for six months. We believe that Paco is under the microscope but we also know he already served those dates from those multiple violations he has. Six months is way excessive and we hope for the future we can fix this problem.” In Kentucky Churchill Downs’ top rider Tyler Gaffalione said: “We just want to speak in our opposition to the suspension of Paco Lopez. We think it’s excessive. “Yes he did have several violations but the punishment doesn’t fit the crime.” Legendary jockey Mike Smith, the Guild’s other co-chair, posted his own video and said: “This six month suspension is too harsh, it’s just too much. It outweighs the crime. What happened in December in Parx compared with what he’s been penalised for now is nowhere near the same. He did do the days and then all a sudden to get six more months tacked on is outrageous.” Smith said the Guild had called for an emergency meeting with HISA to discuss changes to the whip rules.” Lopez is the regular rider of top US sprinter Book’em Danno whose trainer Derek Ryan also came out in support, confirming his horse will not run at the Breeders’ Cup. He told DRF.com : “I was never keen on going to the Breeders’ Cup anyway and with the disgraceful thing they are doing to Paco Lopez, we’re going to call it a year and send him to Florida to freshen up for next season. Paco is the hardest-working jockey around and has definitely been a major reason for the success this horse has had this season.”