Horse Racing

Watch jockey PUNCH rival in the face THREE times in astonishing post-race bust-up that lands Irad Ortiz Jr £700 fine

SE Team

Published

2nd March 2021

THIS is the shocking moment a jockey punches a rival in the face THREE times during a ferocious post-race bust-up.

Famed rider Irad Ortiz Jr saw red and clocked a seated Paco Lopez after they clashed in a contest.

Ortiz Jr absolutely wallops Lopez with a huge right hand during the astonishing bust-up

The jockey then connects with a left as a stunned bystander watches on

Ortiz Jr, 28, is shown walking up to Lopez, 35, and swinging a big right hand at him.

Lopez recoils when Ortiz Jr’s fist lands on his cheek, but Ortiz Jr goes back in for more.

He follows up with a left-handed punch to the nose as one horrified bystander watches on.

Ortiz Jr then throws one more big hook that connects with Lopez, who by this point is falling forward out of his chair.

Security are on hand but fail to rush in quickly enough to stop the fight.

Incredibly, it was Ortiz Jr, the jockey who won the race, who sparked the chaos.

The Puerto Rican superstar, who has nearly 2,500 career winners, recorded an 11-length triumph on 1-2 favourite Known Agenda at Gulfstream Park racecourse in Florida, US.

Lopez came second on Top Gun Tommy – but Ortiz Jr took exception to when Lopez veered out on his mount rounding the bend.

Ortiz Jr has been fined for his attack

Lopez tries desperately to defend himself as Ortiz Jr kept hammering down blows

Lopez and Ortiz Jr both face being ‘excluded from Gulfstream Park racetrack’ if they have another bust-up, reports claim

Security eventually arrives at the back to try to break up the fight

The jockeys were filmed shouting at each other after getting off their horses.

But then cameras captured Ortiz Jr’s incredible attack just a few minutes afterwards.

Stewards let the original result stand and dismissed Lopez’s appeal.

Ortiz Jr has been fined £717 for his act of violence following the race last Friday.

Ortiz Jr is one of the top riders in America but his attack has landed him in hot water

Both jockeys have, according to reports, been ‘placed on probation’ as well.

That means any further bust-up between the pair will result in ‘fines and/or suspension and possible expulsion from the grounds’, according to Daily Racing Form.

Jockeys are no strangers to stunning fights.

The Breeders Cup is remembered for perhaps the most famous of all, when Calvin Borel threatened Javier Castellano.

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In this article:Breeders Cup