LEXINGTON, Ky. — Jockey Junior Alvarado has been fined and suspended for whipping Sovereignty too many times during his Kentucky Derby-winning ride last Saturday at Churchill Downs.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority on Friday ordered Alvarado to pay a $62,000 fine and suspended him for two Kentucky racing days, May 29 and May 30.

A hearing with racing stewards was held Thursday, and Alvarado was found to have used his crop on Sovereignty eight times during the race, according to HISA documents. It was his second offense in 180 days, according to the ruling.

Alvarado has 10 days to appeal, and BloodHorse reported that his agent, Mike Sellitto, said he is appealing.

HISA rules allow jockeys to strike their mounts no more than six times on the hindquarters, according to BloodHorse.

The Courier Journal reported that Alvarado told columnist C.L. Brown he was not thinking about how many times he was hitting Sovereignty during the race and said he “forgot it was a rule.”

“I was seeing my dream coming true right in front of me. The whip rule was the last thing I had in my mind,” Alvarado said during Brown’s podcast. “I have to pay the consequences, I guess.”

HISA records indicate Alvarado has been sanctioned at least seven times previously for his use of the crop, most recently in December, when he was fined $1,500 — the largest fine he had been ordered to pay thus far — for an incident at Churchill Downs.

Jockeys who violate the crop rule by one to three strikes over the limit are fined $250 or 10% of the jockey’s purse earnings, whichever is greater, according to the Paulick Report.

Alvarado’s portion of the Kentucky Derby purse was $310,000, and the fine was doubled to 20% because it was a second offense, for a total of $62,000, according to the racing publication.

Sovereignty will skip the Preakness and is expected to race again June 7 in the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

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