PETA asks Bucks County DA to charge jockey who whipped horse after Parx race in Bensalem

Posted by author December 10, 2024 Horse Racing

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Animal advocates are calling on the Bucks County district attorney to investigate a jockey for his actions after winning a race at Parx Casino in Bensalem.

The jockey, Paco Lopez, whipped his horse, a 2-year-old named National Law, on the neck after the finish line on Dec. 3 at Parx in Bensalem.

The young horse had veered off course in the stretch, but still won by 1 ¼ lengths. It was the colt’s third-ever race.

On Dec. 5, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority suspended Lopez indefinitely over the incident. Lopez had been suspended at least five times since 2019 for a variety of infractions. Lopez issued a public apology the same day.

According to HISA’s ruling portal, Lopez has 10 violations for excessive whip use — a rider is only allowed to strike a horse six times during a race — over the past 24 months, including two violations at Parx since late August.

PETA this week called on the Bucks County district attorney, Jennifer Schorn, to investigate Lopez for potentially violating animal cruelty laws. Schorn’s office did not immediately respond to request for comment.

“A full 20 seconds after crossing the finish line, Lopez harshly struck the colt,” PETA’s letter to Schorn states. “Lopez’s whipping of National Law is the very type of conduct that Pennsylvania’s cruelty to animals statute prohibits.”

PETA also called on the Bucks SPCA to investigate.

“The situation has reported to us, and our chief humane officer is investigating,” Bucks SPCA communications officer Cindy Kelly said on Dec. 10. “It’s very concerning to us, so we would certainly take action if necessary.”

The Bucks SPCA has investigated similar cases at the Parx track in the past, Kelly said.

There’s been a heightened sense of awareness regarding equine safety since a spike in fatalities at Santa Anita put the sport in the national spotlight early 2019. It eventually resulted in federal legislation that created the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, putting drug testing and safety in the hands of the federal agency, reported the Asbury Park Press.

National Law’s trainer, Jorge Duarte Jr., had taken to social media to defend the rider after the incident, saying on Twitter: “Jockeys are the toughest athletes. We have mental health involved already anyone who saw the whole stretch run would say Paco was outstanding keeping the horse safe. We need to focus on things that matter.”

The post was later deleted.

National Law is owned by Colts Neck Stables, who Duarte trains for. “We do not agree with the action he took, nor Jorge Duarte’s opinions on how the situation was handled,” a statement from Colts Neck (N.J.) Stables read in part.

“You can’t get much lower than whipping a green horse who won the race,” says PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo. “We urge the District Attorney to determine that Lopez’s next stop should be in a court of law.”

Parx Casino and Racing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Reporting from Stephen Edelson of the Asbury Park Press contributed to this report.

Jess Rohan can be reached at jrohan@gannett.com.