Stewards: no whip violation by Paco Lopez in Preakness
Note rider’s “unorthodox style”
Frank Vespe
May 22, 2026
Paco Lopez is in the clear.
Days after PETA alleged in a complaint to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) that Lopez had violated riding crop rules when winning the Grade 1 Preakness at Laurel Park May 16, Maryland Racing Commission stewards told The Racing Biz that no action is warranted.
PETA, an animal rights group, claimed May 18 that in the Preakness, Lopez appeared to commit a “serious rule violation” by raising his riding crop above his head before striking Napoleon Solo with it during the stretch drive of the 151st Preakness.
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HISA rules prohibit such an action, and PETA said that regulators should consider whether Lopez, who has previously been penalized for that violation and others, should lose his share of the purse — $120,000 – and be banished from racing.
Napoleon Solo, trained by Chad Summers for Al Gold’s Gold Square LLC, pressed the pace set by Taj Mahal in the Preakness. He took over nearing the quarter pole, and Lopez immediately checked behind himself twice to see if competition was looming.
He continued to look behind during the stretch run — “Eight or nine times,” by Gold’s count — while urging his mount to a 1 1/4 -length victory.
“He has a very unorthodox style,” Maryland Racing Commission administrative steward Adam Campola said Friday. “He stays very busy on a horse, moves around quite a bit. But we did not feel that he violated the rule.”
Campola also added that Lopez hit the horse four times in the stretch, comfortably below the six-strike limit.
HISA said in an earlier statement that it would “defer to the Stewards’ independent review and adjudication process.”
“I’ve talked to HISA, because that’s where PETA started,” Campola said. “And they say, It’s up to the Maryland stewards.”
In a statement, a HISA spokesperson said, “Following the Stewards’ review of the race and all relevant facts, no violation of HISA’s riding crop rules was found. HISA respects and supports the Stewards’ independent review and application of the rules and finds no basis on which to assert before an appeals panel that it is ‘clearly erroneous’ or ‘not supported by the evidence’ which is what would be required to secure a reversal of the Stewards’ decision. HISA will have no further comment.”
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