Report: Lopez ready to move on after fight with Ortiz

Jockey Paco Lopez is ready to move on after his fight on Irad Ortiz Jr. at Gulfstream on Friday.

Lopez told Thoroughbred Daily News: “For me, it's over. I don't want any trouble going forward.”

Ortiz was fined $1,000 and he and Lopez were put on probation by the track.

The incident occurred after Race 4, won by Ortiz aboard Known Agenda. Lopez was on runner-up Top Gun Tommy.

After the race, Ortiz threw a few punches at Lopez, who was seated. (Read more and see video here.)

“If I had fought him back, I'd have a fine, too,” Lopez told TDN. “But I was just sitting down in the chair, waiting for the result at the same time as him. I didn't want to provoke him.”

Lopez has been suspended twice by Gulfstream for careless riding, according to the report, and he said that was part of the reason he didn't fight back.

“The stewards there are very tough on me,” Lopez told TDN. “They had given me 30 and then 60 days. I know that if I had done to him what he did to me I would have been ruled off from the track.”