Of the jockey’s methods, Jeff Perrin, Leon’s agent, says: “You do have to be aggressive to win."
Again, it’s not even close to being the worst of it, but… Word comes that Sonny Leon, the “winning” jockey in the Derby, is currently serving a four-day suspension in Ohio for “careless riding” in an April 27 race at Thistledown.
Specifically, Leon “deliberately and aggressively steered [his
horse] towards the rail to block on-coming horses.” This is Leon’s
fifth suspension since September; the highlight of those:
“inflicting visible injuries on one of his mounts through misuse of
the whip” (Courier-Journal).
Of the jockey’s methods, Jeff Perrin, Leon’s agent, says: “You do
have to be aggressive to win. I think there are judgment calls that
people make, and I don’t want to comment on it too much for
political reasons. But you have to be aggressive.”
“But you have to be aggressive.” Had enough yet, America?