by Jeff Apel
Pascacio “Paco” Lopez, who leads Calder’s Tropical meet rider standings with 27 wins through Friday, has been excluded from all tracks owned by Churchill Downs Inc. through January 2.
The ruling, which went into affect on Friday, will prevent Lopez from riding during the remainder of Calder’s Tropical meeting, which concludes the same day the exclusion expires.
Michele Blanco, Calder’s director of communications, and Cory Moran, Lopez’s agent, declined to specify why the jockey was banned.
“There’s things going on,” Moran said. “I just don’t want to say anything to disrupt what is going on.”
Lopez is appealing four suspensions that he has received from Calder stewards. The suspensions range from five to 30 days and resulted from alleged careless riding or interference.
“All I can do is confirm that he has been excluded,” Blanco said. “That’s all I’m allowed to comment on.”
Moran said he and Lopez might relocate to either Aqueduct or Gulfstream Park, two tracks not owned by Churchill Downs Inc., if the exclusion remains intact.
“If they don’t want us riding here, that’s fine,” Moran said. “We’ll have to go where we’re welcome.”
A 23-year-old native of Mexico, Lopez ranks tenth by wins this year among North American riders with 220 victories through Friday. He lost his five-pound apprentice allowance in September.
Moran said he considers Lopez to be a front-runner for an Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding apprentice.
“We’ve got some big plans for him,” Moran said. “He’s one of the talented young riders in the country right now.”
Lopez also led the Calder rider standings during the Miami Gardens, Florida, track’s Calder meet with 161 wins.
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