Kentucky Derby Jockey Fined $62K, Suspended Over Riding Crop Violations

Junior Alvarado, the jockey who rode Sovereignty to victory at the 2025 Kentucky Derby, was fined $62,000 and suspended for two upcoming racing days after the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) determined he struck the horse eight times during the race, exceeding the six-strike limit. This penalty was doubled due to it being Alvarado's second offense within 180 days. Alvarado acknowledged the infraction, attributing it to the intensity of the race moment. The fine, based on 10% of his $310,000 portion of the Derby purse, will support a jockey mental health program. Sovereignty's trainer, Bill Mott, decided not to run the horse in the Preakness Stakes, effectively ending its Triple Crown chances, though the horse is expected to compete in the Belmont Stakes. The whip limit rule was instituted in 2020 in response to concerns over horse safety, particularly following high fatality rates at tracks like Churchill Downs prior to reforms.