Kentucky Derby-winning jockey fined US$62,000 and suspended for overuse of whip

Junior Alvarado rode Sovereignty to victory in the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby on May 3, 2025. (Brynn Anderson/AP via CNN Newsource)

Junior Alvarado, who rode Sovereignty to victory at the Kentucky Derby earlier this month, has been fined and suspended for the overuse of his whip during the race.

Alvarado was found to have used his riding crop eight times during the race at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. However, regulations set by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) allow riders to use their whip six times during a race.

HISA said it was the second time in 180 days Alvarado had violated this rule.

As a result, HISA announced on Saturday that Alvarado had been fined $62,000 – 20% of his $310,000 share of the winnings – and suspended for two Kentucky racing days on May 29 and 30.

Alvarado can appeal the decision within 10 days of the ruling’s issuance.

Alvarado and Sovereignty won a thrilling race at the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby, beating heavy favorite Journalism down the final stretch in muddy conditions.

It was Alvarado’s first victory in the Derby and afterwards, the 38-year-old rider said he only realized he had exceeded the permitted whip use when rewatching the race.

“I couldn’t keep track of that,” the Venezuelan rider told horse racing website, Bloodhorse. “It’s such a big race, there’s so much that you’ve got on your mind.”

Alvarado added: “I wasn’t galloping by 10 (lengths). When the extra whip happened, I was right next to the favorite and I needed to do what I needed to do at the time. After (watching a replay), I saw I went over, but I had no time to think about that (in the moment). I just wanted to win the biggest race in America.”

The next leg of US horse racing’s Triple Crown will take place at the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 17, followed by the final race on June 7 at the Belmont Stakes.

Sovereignty will not attempt to win the Triple Crown after its trainer Bill Mott said it would not compete at the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course.

By Ben Morse, CNN