US jockey apologises after starting a fight mid-horserace
A jockey in America has issued a public apology after starting a fight in the middle of a horserace.
Eriluis Vaz said the fight during a race at Philadelphia Park with fellow jockey Ademar Santos was “bad judgement.”
Mr Vaz, who was disqualified, punched Mr Santos in the face, who took a swing back. Mr Vaz then hit Mr Santos with his whip. They were both mounted at the time.
The row broke out when Mr Vaz’s mount Divine Light and cut across the track, causing Mr Sand to to be stuck between horses.
Mr Santos stood up in his stirrup irons and challenged his competitor.
“I asked, ‘Man, why you go like that?'” Mr Santos told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Mr Vaz wrote in a statement to television network TVG: “I would like to say how sorry I really am for the incident that happened between myself and Mr. Santos.
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“I made a terrible mistake reacting the way I did during the race the other day.”
The pair face a stewards’ ruling.
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.