Top US jockey Mike Smith has been hit with a nine-day whip ban and huge fine for his ride on runner-up Midnight Bisou in the inaugural $20 million Saudi Cup on Saturday.
Smith, winner of the international jockeys’ challenge in Saudi Arabia on Friday, will forfeit 60 per cent of his share of the $3.5 million prize-money for second place in the world’s richest race.
Smith was fined more than $200,000 for excessive use of the whip aboard Midnight Bisou. The fine is the largest ever handed down to a jockey for a riding infraction.
Under Saudi racing rules covering the Feb. 28 and Feb. 29 cards, a jockey is permitted to strike a horse no more than 10 times. The stewards ruled that Smith struck Midnight Bisou 14 times. He was given eight days for the whip violation plus an additional day for using the whip with no regard for the horse’s stride.
The fine was based on the money Smith earned for riding the second-place finisher, who earned $3.5 million. Smith’s 10% cut comes out to $350,000. Under a sliding scale that includes fines of up to 100%, Smith has to forego 60% of his personal earnings or $210,000
On a night of deep frustration for the Hall of Fame jockey, Smith had earlier picked up a two-day ban for failing to weigh in after the fifth race.
Midnight Bisou was held up in rear in the Saudi Cup before mounting a challenge against the inside rail in the home straight.
The Steven Asmussen-trained five-year-old made up a lot of ground to get within touching distance of Maximum Security, who kept finding for Luis Saez to score by 0.75 lengths.
Smith, whose record in the world’s biggest races has earned him the nickname ‘Big Money Mike’, landed a $30,000 bonus for winning the jockeys’ challenge on the eve of the Saudi Cup card at King Abdulaziz racecourse in Riyadh.
- Racingpost.com
