Jockey Santana Jr. appeals suspension, continues riding at Oaklawn

Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. will have his full complement of rides this weekend at Oaklawn Park after filing an appeal against a 10-day suspension handed down by stewards that was set to begin Friday.

Santana was slapped with the suspension for a ride aboard 3-year-old colt Bank in the seventh race at Oaklawn on April 5. A look at the replay shows Bank racing in close quarters with eventual fourth-place finisher Major Attraction, ridden by David Cohen. Santana goes to a left handed whip that causes Bank to move out and for Santana’s right elbow to make contact with Cohen.

Bank finished one spot ahead of Major Attraction in third.

Santana has been the leading rider at Oaklawn Park for six consecutive seasons. His 41 wins entering the week are only two behind leading rider Joe Talamo, and that's after Santana recently missed two weeks of the Oaklawn meet when forced to quarantine following a trip to Fair Grounds to ride in the Louisiana Derby (G2).

Santana has seven mounts at Oaklawn on both Thursday and Friday and eight assignments on Saturday, which includes rides aboard Lady Apple in the Apple Blossom (G1) and Nitrous in the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3).