At the 2025 Kentucky Derby, jockey Junior Alvarado rode Sovereignty to a 1 1/2 lengths victory at Churchill Downs. Alvarado deployed a closing technique for the horse, which was in 16th place, out of 19 contenders, entering the backstretch, as he saved Sovereignty’s best for last as he made up ground to win The Run for the Roses.
However, Alvarado’s tactic of whipping the horse repeatedly with his riding crop, in order to spur his closing kick down the stretch, ran afoul of thoroughbred racing rules. As a result, the jockey has been both fined and suspended by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, which issued its ruling on Friday after meeting with Alvarado on Thursday.
