Jockey to pay US$13,600
Dubai Racing Authority stewards' reports reveal that jockey Frankie Dettori was fined for excessive use of his riding crop while winning the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) and that beaten favorite Pinehurst returned with lameness in his left foreleg after being eased in the UAE Derby Sponsored by Mubadala (G2).
Dettori's fourth victory in the Dubai World Cup came with a $13,612 price tag as the famed European rider was fined by Emirates Racing Authority stewards for using his crop 13 times while guiding the Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer to victory in the $12 million stakes at Meydan Racecourse.
The fine will cost Dettori a small slice of the roughly $750,000 he earned from Country Grammer's $7.5 million payday for owners Zedan Racing, WinStar Farm, and Commonwealth Thoroughbreds.
The fine, first reported by Thoroughbred Racing Commentary, amounted to AED50,000, which converts to $13,612.
Dettori was one of three jockeys fined for riding crop violations on the nine-race card. In addition, Patrick Dobbs was fined AED2,000 ($54) in the Dubai Kahuyla Classic Sponsored by Ithra Dubai (G1 Arabian) for using his crop 13 times in a fourth-place finish on Brraq (FR) and Yuga Kawada was fined AED10,000 ($2,722) for using his crop without giving his mount, Red Le Zele , a chance to recover during a second-place finish in the Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Atlantis Dubai (G1).
Pinehurst, trained by Baffert, was eased under the wire by jockey Flavien Prat after chasing the early pace.
According to the stewards' report, Prat said Pinehurst "moved poorly throughout." Since lameness was detected, Dubai Racing Authority regulations require a veterinary certificate of fitness before the 3-year-old Pinehurst, who is returning to the United States, can race again.
