Jockey Jeremy Rose, who was suspended for six months for whipping his mount Appeal to the City in the face during a June 23 race at Delaware Park, had his suspension reduced to 90 days following a July 22 hearing.
According to John Wayne, executive director of the of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission, testimony was taken from the perspectives of both the stewards and the defendant, after which the commission ruled that the six-month suspension would be modified to 90 days, a $5,000 fine, and continued anger-management courses through Nov. 11. The decision was made on a 3-2 vote.
Best known as the jockey of Afleet Alex, winner of the 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes (both gr. I) , Rose was initially suspended after stewards contended that he “engaged in extreme misuse of the whip during the stretch run while on the horse Appeal to the City.”
A 5-year-old daughter of Appealing Skier, Appeal to the City experienced some hemorrhaging around her eye following the whipping incident and was taken to New Bolton Center, where she responded well to treatment. Rose, who covered all the mare’s medical bills, issued a written apology following his suspension and claimed the incident was completely accidental.
Owned by Raymond Makarovich and trained by Howard Wolfendale, the mare was last reported to be recovering well.
A native of Bellefonte, Pa., Rose, 29, was honored with an Eclipse Award as top apprentice jockey in 2001. Since 2000, Rose has won a career total of 1,730 races from 8,600 mounts. He will be allowed to return to racing Sept. 23.