Jockey Albin Jimenez Receives One-Year Ban for Race Performance

A year-long suspension has been imposed on jockey Albin Jimenez following a controversial performance aboard the heavily favoured Afleet Vintage at Belterra Park in Ohio. The stewards determined that Jimenez did not exert sufficient effort during the race, leading to a disappointing second-place finish for the 3-5 favourite.

In the race, which took place on dirt over a distance of one mile, Jimenez and Afleet Vintage began strongly from the starting stalls. However, as the race progressed, they slipped back to third place, ultimately finishing in second after a late surge. The race was won by Permit to Carry, a 3-1 third choice ridden by Summer Pauly, who is also the mother of Jimenez’s child. The final positioning saw Ace On The Turn come in third.

The trainer of Afleet Vintage, Tommy Drury, expressed his dissatisfaction with Jimenez’s ride and subsequently requested a review from the stewards, according to reports from Horse Racing Nation. Following a thorough evaluation of the circumstances surrounding the race, the stewards issued the ban, which could potentially be reduced to six months if Jimenez does not file an appeal, as reported by the Mirror.

Afleet Vintage arrived at Belterra Park for the claiming race, which is restricted to three-year-old horses and older, following a commanding victory at the same circuit on July 23, 2023. In that race, Jimenez was in the saddle and secured one of his 81 victories at the track, the highest number of wins by any rider there. Last year, he led the charts with 88 wins.

Since beginning his career in 2010, Jimenez has achieved over 1,700 victories, including a remarkable win at the 2018 Grade One Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland aboard a 70-1 outsider named Knicks Go. This horse later earned the title of American Horse of the Year in 2021 after a series of significant wins, including the Breeders Cup Classic, Whitney Stakes, and Pegasus World Cup. Jimenez rode Knicks Go on five occasions throughout his career, which spanned 24 starts from 2018 to 2022.

Jimenez’s only other graded stakes victory came with Lady Fog Horn at Churchill Downs in 2016. The suspension will take effect next Friday, marking a significant moment in Jimenez’s career as he navigates the implications of this decision on his future as a jockey.