Report: Jockey Concepcion will appeal 2nd 30-day suspension

Apprentice jockey Axel Concepcion will appeal the second 30-day suspension he received from Delaware Park stewards for riding violations.

The first suspension was issued Sept. 28 and involved an incident in race 7 on Sept. 21. According to the stewards’ ruling, Concepcion was “extremely careless in failing to control and guide his mount, Backwoods Boogie, leaving the starting gate, impeding several horses and causing the horse Trumpence to fall, which resulted in a fatal injury to Trumpence.”

The ruling noted that the race was suspended after the fall and declared a no contest.

Concepcion’s agent Tom Stift told Thoroughbred Daily News that the jockey decided not to appeal the ruling, and so his suspension was reduced to 21 days. It was set to begin Oct 7.

The second suspension was issued Friday and involved “poor judgment” in a race on Wednesday. The stewards’ report says Concepcion rode his mount Speargun “into a very tight spot in the middle of the far turn causing his horse to push a rival over heels resulting in the rival to fall and unseating the rider.”

Stift said Concepcion is appealing that suspension because there were “mitigating circumstances.”

TDN reported that Bryson Cox, son of trainer Brad Cox, will take over as agent for Concepcion, who plans to begin riding in Kentucky this fall.

Concepcion is tied for 10th place in wins in the current Delaware Park meet, with 21 victories from 75 starts.