Corridor of Fame jockeys Mikesmith and John Belazquez referred to as for an emergency assembly with officers of the Horse Racing integrity and Security Bureau in gentle of the controversial six-month suspension given to jockey Pacolopez.
Smith introduced the request for an emergency assembly in a video posted to Jockey’s Guild X account Sunday afternoon. Smith and Velazquez are co-chairs of the Jockey’s Guild Board of Administrators.
“I actually imagine that, together with the guild, six months of suspension is simply too powerful,” Smith stated. “That outweighs crime. What occurred in Paco in December Parx The identical factor just isn’t the identical in comparison with what he’s at the moment being punished. ”
“We should meet with Hisa. I’ve referred to as for an emergency assembly with them, together with the opposite co-chair Johnny Belazukes and the entire Guild Committee, to attempt to work with them. Crop guidelines have to be modified and these penalties have to be modified.
Corridor of Fame and co-chair of the Jockey Guild, Mike Smith, speaks in assist of Paco Lopez.#jockeysguild pic.twitter.com/rtcutqvnbb
– jockeys’guild (@jockeysguild) September 28, 2025
Horse Racing Nation I contacted a Hisa spokesman to reply to Smith’s assembly request, however didn’t obtain a reply late Monday afternoon.
Video Sunday video from Smith follows a sequence of movies posted on the Jockey’s social media platform. Present solidarity with Lopez I oppose the suspension. Coach Dere Cryan cited Lopez’s suspension as a part of his motive for quitting Topsprinter e-book’em harmIt’s going to freshen him for the 2025 marketing campaign and subsequent yr. López is a daily rider for Guide’em Danno, and the current crop violation printed on Hisa’s web site is linked to López elevating his wrist over his helmet when he rode a Guide’em Danno within the Forego Stakes at Saratoga on August twenty third.
