Jockey Luis Angel Belmonte, 40, is being held in Dauphin County Prison in Harrisburg, Pa., after being charged with one count of attempted homicide and two counts of aggravated assault on Thursday. Bail was set at $1 million after a preliminary arraignment before Magisterial District Judge William C. Wenner.
Belmonte, who has ridden 1,891 winners from 15,042 mounts for earnings of $21,580,474 in a career that began in 1994, was winless in 27 starts this year. He had just recently returned to race riding at Penn National, where he was taking first call for trainer George Albright.
“I rode him as a bug rider and as a journeyman,” Albright said. “He has a history of getting himself in trouble, but this time around he was really trying to get his act straight. Luis came around and said he was trying to find work. I told him a spot had opened up, so I started using him last month, and he was coming around more regularly than ever, galloping horses at first at then riding. He had a great attitude. No signs that he was unhappy or had any kind of problem. It really looked like this time around it was going to work. He seemed more stable.”
Belmonte last rode on Wednesday at Penn National, finishing seventh aboard S W Run Laddie in the third race. He was named on three horses on Saturday, two of them for Albright. In his best year, 2001, Belmonte rode 182 winners from 1,057 mounts.
Albright said he was told the incident involved a gun that was discharged but knew no other details. Pennsylvania State Police would provide no further comment on the alleged incident or possible victim or victims in the case.
A prelimary hearing has been set for Dec. 23 at 9 a.m. before Judge Lowell A. Witmer.
Belmonte, who has ridden 1,891 winners from 15,042 mounts for earnings of $21,580,474 in a career that began in 1994, was winless in 27 starts this year. He had just recently returned to race riding at Penn National, where he was taking first call for trainer George Albright.
“I rode him as a bug rider and as a journeyman,” Albright said. “He has a history of getting himself in trouble, but this time around he was really trying to get his act straight. Luis came around and said he was trying to find work. I told him a spot had opened up, so I started using him last month, and he was coming around more regularly than ever, galloping horses at first at then riding. He had a great attitude. No signs that he was unhappy or had any kind of problem. It really looked like this time around it was going to work. He seemed more stable.”
Belmonte last rode on Wednesday at Penn National, finishing seventh aboard S W Run Laddie in the third race. He was named on three horses on Saturday, two of them for Albright. In his best year, 2001, Belmonte rode 182 winners from 1,057 mounts.
Albright said he was told the incident involved a gun that was discharged but knew no other details. Pennsylvania State Police would provide no further comment on the alleged incident or possible victim or victims in the case.
A prelimary hearing has been set for Dec. 23 at 9 a.m. before Judge Lowell A. Witmer.
