Equestrian sport is exciting and gives a sense of thrill due to the strong four-legged creatures involved in it. To maintain that feeling, there are rules and regulations for every party involved in it from owners and trainers to jockeys. Jockeys ride horses in races and must ensure they are safe and not injured.
They should not whip the horse more than the set times, and race keeping in mind not to touch or bang into other horses. A dark cloud loomed over the community after an incident occurred at the race track involving a jockey. An apprentice jockey caused injury to a horse at Delaware track last week and was timed out by the racing authority.
Equestrian jockey suspended for being extremely careless
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According to paulickreport,, on September 21st, Axel Concepcion participated in a race at Delaware Park. The race, number 7, was an eleven-horse optional claiming race covering one mile on a turf surface. As reported by the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission, Concepcion was riding Backwoods Boogie, a six-year-old gelding trained by Mary Eppler and owned by Mary E. Eppler Racing Stable. Unfortunately, the race was suspended and declared a no-contest due to an incident where one horse, Trumpence, fell down.
In the inquiry, the steward found that Concepcion was “extremely careless” in his riding, not being able to control his horse. From the beginning, after leaving the gate, the horse hindered several horses and resulted in the falling of Trumpence that caused fatal injuries. The stewards decided to suspend the apprentice jockey for thirty calendar days for his actions. They later reduced the suspension to 21 days because the apprentice jockey didn’t appeal the verdict. Trumpence, the nine-year-old gelding, was ridden by Kevin Gomez at the race. He is owned by George Todaro, Robert Blanchard, and Brad’s Equine Adventure and his trainer is Kenneth Nolen. The jockey with a career earning of $4,051,035, despite facing suspension, has had a stellar career that attracted him from his home country to the US.
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Equestrian jockey’s career
Axel Concepcion, a graduate of the Vocational Equestrian School at Camarero Race Track in Puerto Rico, initiated his racing career in his home country, securing twenty-one victories before transitioning to the United States. The jockey turned professional on January 1st of this year and celebrated his inaugural US victory at the fairgrounds on February 19th, riding Smokey Harbour. His success continued at Laurel Park, where he secured his first win on February 25th aboard Shinelikeadiamond. Since then, Concepcion has maintained his momentum, standing out at Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course. With a career totaling 847 starts to date, he has secured 172 wins, placed second in 133 races, and claimed third in 134.
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The suspension of the apprentice jockey is unfortunate. The racing authority prioritized the health of the horse and rider while maintaining fairness in the game.
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