Breeders' Cup jockey Ricardo Santana, 33, lost all his scheduled mounts and had his licence suspended immediately after police arrested him on domestic violence charges in Kentucky. News of the arrest stunned Keeneland racecourse, where the two-day meeting is taking place, leaving the rider with over 2,000 career wins facing an uncertain future in the sport.
Police arrested Santana late on Monday night local time. He faces multiple counts including assault and strangulation. A police report stated that a woman told officers she fled their residence following a dispute concerning his drinking. According to the document, the woman stated Santana grew furious, seized her throat with both hands, and shoved her against kitchen cabinets, which caused head pain. She managed to leave the house after that initial argument.
The report alleged that the woman came back to the house later that night, leading to another argument where Santana grabbed her throat a second time and pushed her against the cabinets. The document noted that the woman experienced pain in the back of her head, hip, back, palm, and wrist. Officials stated she also provided photographs displaying redness resulting from the first incident.
The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation suspended Santana's licence pending the resolution of his criminal case. A representative for the Breeders' Cup issued a statement saying the organisation respects the decision by the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation to suspend Santana's licence. The statement added that connections of his contenders in the World Championships will find replacement riders according to standard protocol, and noted that the Breeders' Cup condemns violence while upholding professional standards and due process.
Ron Moquett trains Hymn, a horse Santana was scheduled to pilot in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Moquett removed Santana from the mount once word of the arrest broke, posting on X that while everyone deserves due process, they decided Santana would not ride for them. The trainer stated a replacement will be announced soon, expressed concern for all affected individuals, and mentioned support for Santana in getting help or counselling, adding that accountability and compassion are not mutually exclusive.
The Courier Journal reported that Santana entered a not guilty plea to the charges and received a no-contact order regarding his girlfriend. In 2024, Santana entered a guilty plea to two driving under the influence charges and completed a week-long prison sentence in Kentucky. At that time, his agent Ruben Munoz stated that he may have an alcohol problem issue he is addressing.
