BY HISA PRESS OFFICE (Edited)
LEXINGTON, KY—The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority today announced that jockey Paco Lopez has been suspended for six months, effective Sept. 23, 2025. The suspension stems from Mr. Lopez’s violation of the terms of his conditional reinstatement, related to a Dec. 4, 2024 incident involving Mr. Lopez’s use of the riding crop on the Covered Horse, National Law.
On Dec. 3, Lopez was caught by the Parx Racing video cameras striking National Law in the head and upper neck following a victory in a maiden special weight. According to the footnotes of the Equibase Chart, National Law “bore out badly to the outside fence in the final furlong but maintained a clear advantage.”
Lopez was provisionally suspended by HISA on Dec. 4 then reinstated on Jan. 23. Since being reinstated, Lopez has been disciplined several times at Parx, Colonial Downs, Saratoga Race Course and Monmouth Park for infractions regarding the misuse of the whip.
This summer, Lopez was the leading rider at both the Monmouth Park meet that ended Sept. 14 with 86 victories from 264 mounts and at the Colonial Downs season that concluded on Sept. 13 with 40 wins from 170 mounts.
HISA remains committed to upholding the highest standards of safety and integrity in horse racing. We take any behavior that undermines the trust of participants and fans with the utmost seriousness. By enforcing rules consistently, we aim to promote fairness in the adjudication process, protect both horses and riders and preserve confidence in the integrity of the sport.
Return to the September 23 issue of Wire to Wire
