Veteran jockey Roman Eric Chapa has a history of cheating accusations, and this time was photographed with what officials say is an electric device.
In the photo, it appears Chapa is gripping some king of device in his fist as he powers through to the finish line, and the racing industry believe this was to shock the horse into running faster.
The snap, taken by photographer Jack Coady, was taken at the finish of a $50,000 race.
Strangely, the day after the race Chapa contacted Coady, telling him to take the photo off the internet because ‘it was a bad picture.’
He has now claimed the snap was ‘photo-shopped’ and is convinced someone is trying to frame him.
Chapa was previously suspended in 1994 for using a nail during a race, and in 2007 for using an electric device.
In 2002 he was jailed for 10 days for beating a dog with a strap.
A Peta investigation in 2014 caught assistant trainer Scott Blasi talking about how the jockey used an electric buzzer during races.
‘That silly a** Roman Chapa put it in his mouth in New Mexico’ he was heard to say.
‘They came in to shake him down, he stuck it in his mouth, then he spit it out in his wash bucket.’
A warrant for his arrest was issued on Tuesday, although so far no one has been able to locate him.