Thoroughbred Racing Fan Association, Inc.
Thoroughbred Racing Fan Association, Inc.
WHAT TWO JOCKEYS WERE IN A FIGHT IN THE WINNER'S CIRCLE ON NATIONAL TELEVISION ELEVEN YEARS AGO?
3/2/2021
Last week’s fisticuffs between jockeys Irad Ortiz and Paco Lopez embarrassed the sport and themselves. The good news about the event is it was after the fourth race on Friday, February 26, 2021, at Gulfstream Park in front a mostly fan-less audience and not the center of national television coverage. In 2010 just after the Breeders’ Cup opening event, the Marathon, it was different. Jockey Calvin Borel waited for jockey Javier Castellano to return from the track. Borel was angry that Castellano had cut him off down the back stretch of the race. As Castellano approached, Borel attacked. Castellano pugilisticaly responded immediately. A mob of security staff, connections and family surrounded them breaking the scuffle up. However, the intervention was not timely enough to stop full media coverage and a lifetime of internet exposure.