Report: South Africa jockey strikes a rival in stretch run

A jockey in South Africa used his crop to strike another rider during a race Sunday at Turffontein in Johannesburg.

Racing Post reported that during the final furlong of the race, Gavin Lerena was attempting to challenge Jason Gates on the outside, with Gates’s mount edging in front. Lerena stood in the irons and hit Gates three times on the back with his crop. Gates responded with his crop.

Lerena, 39, apologized for the incident, according to the report, but said his “reaction followed encounters and actions from Mr. Gates.”

He also said, “What took place is entirely inconsistent with my character and I deeply regret the incident. … In any competitive sport, the instinctual response to a perceived threat, provocation or aggression can lead to a reaction that, under normal circumstances, we would not exhibit."

South Africa’s National Horseracing Authority said an inquiry into the incident would be held, according to the report.