By T. D. Thornton
Jockey Alex Solis was one of four Santa Anita jockeys who racked up a fine within the past week for violating California Horse Racing Board Rule #1688 that pertains to misuse of the riding crop.
The $100 fine for striking his mount more than three times in succession without giving the horse a chance to respond in the fifth race Mar. 26 is ironic in that Solis serves on the CHRB board. He is believed to be the only active jockey in the nation currently serving on a state racing commission.
In his capacity as chairman of the CHRB's Jockey and Driver Welfare Committee, Solis was an outspoken proponent of the new whip-related rules that were adopted by the CHRB last July. He was cited for a similar infraction on Aug. 2, 2015.
“You ride [horses] right, they're going to go as fast as they can,” Solis said when speaking in favor of the new rules at a May 27, 2015, CHRB meeting. “When you're coming down the last sixteenth and you're hitting them again, they're not going to give you another gear, because they already did that first time that you asked.”
David Lopez, Tyler Baze and Martin Garcia were the other jockeys penalized for Rule 1688 infractions that got posted to the stewards' rulings section of the CHRB website on Tuesday.
Solis was also hit with a separate $50 fine for failing to attend the Mar. 27 stewards' film review session.
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