Jockey barred from Parx after illegal electrical device is found

AFTER CONDUCTING a search of the jockeys' room at Parx Racing before the fifth race on Tuesday's card and discovering what several sources said was an illegal electrical device inside a jockey's glove, representatives of the Pennsylvania Racing Commission took jockey Angel Castillo off his remaining mounts.

The device, known as a "buzzer" or "machine" or "battery," is about the size of a lighter, conducts electricity and has been used by rogue jockeys through the years to shock a horse in an attempt to get the horse to run faster. It is completely against the rules.

"He's innocent," Castillo's attorney, Alan Pincus, said yesterday. "It's a mistake."

Walter Remmert, acting executive secretary of the racing commission, said: "We're in the process of evaluating the evidence, so we can have a stewards' hearing for Mr. Castillo based on circumstances surrounding the jockeys' room search at Parx."

Remmert would not say why they focused on Castillo. He did confirm an "electrical device was recovered."

"I put in an appeal to the racing commission asking for a stay to get [Castillo] back on the racetrack," Pincus said.

Several sources said commission representatives were in the jockeys' room with a metal detecting wand to see whether any of the riders was carrying a "buzzer." As the riders for the fifth race were getting ready to head for the paddock, they were confronted. Sometime after that, the glove with the device was found in the general vicinity. Sources said the glove had the initials "AC" on it.

According to Pincus, other jockeys regularly borrow Castillo's gloves.

There apparently are cameras in the area where the jockeys were searched, so a review of the video may show who did what and when.

"At this point, it would be premature for me to say anything [about cameras] until Mr. Castillo [has his hearing]," Remmert said.

Castillo, the second-leading rider at Parx this year, with 38 wins, was named to ride Ring It Up for trainer Phil Aristone in the fifth race.

"When we came out of the paddock to the walking ring, every jock was there but Pierre Hernandez [Ortega]," Aristone said. "He was still up in the room. We were just waiting."

"It was, like, a 10-minute delay," said John Servis, the trainer for Ragtime, the 2-5 favorite in the race. "Then, the jock on the 1 horse [Hernandez Ortega] is walking down the steps."

Hernandez Ortega was allowed to ride Calvello, his mount in the race.

"I got a call from the clerk of scales and he said, 'Angel can't ride this race,' " Aristone said. "I didn't even ask why. They said, 'We're going to scratch your horse.' "

Aristone talked them out of that and got Frankie Pennington to ride Ring It Up.

"Angel did not know what was going on," Aristone said. "He can't speak English. Angel went back upstairs, they ran the race, and that's the last I saw Angel."

Ring It Up, with replacement rider Pennington, won the race by 4 1/4 lengths. Hernandez Ortega's mount was second. Ragtime finished fourth. Shortly after the race, Castillo was escorted off the grounds.