Junior Alvarado considering appeal of fine and suspension for excessive whip usage in Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Jockey Junior Alvarado is considering appealing a fine and suspension for using his whip eight times on Sovereignty in winning the Kentucky Derby on May 3.

Alvarado was fined $62,000 and suspended two days by the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority, whose rules allow a rider to use a whip six times in a race.

He has 10 days to inform HISA if he plans to appeal.

“I would like to just get it over with and put it behind me, I don’t want to carry this one extra day, but at the same time I don’t want to give up that easily like they were right,” Alvarado told the Daily Racing Form last weekend. “I would like to move forward and fix something. As everybody can see, it’s unfair the penalties we’re facing. Maybe (by appealing) we can get something good out of this.”

On Dec. 1, Alvarado was found to have used his whip seven times in winning the $250,000 Cherokee Mile, also at Churchill Downs.

He met with Churchill Downs stewards via video last week to discuss the Derby.

“I didn’t abuse the horse,” Alvarado told DRF. “Nobody can tell me, even if they can prove that I hit the horse two extra times, it was in an abusing way, it’s just ridiculous. The punishment doesn’t fit the crime and I don’t think there was any crime.”

If Alvarado does not appeal, he will serve the two day suspension May 29-30. He is based in New York, which isn’t racing those days.