Jockey Matt Garcia, who was arrested in the Del Mar paddock area before Friday's first race, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to making threats against his wife and two police officers in Los Angeles County.
A judge set Garcia's bail at $50,000, according to court officials. He was being held in the Pasadena jail.
The jockey is accused of making several threatening phone calls Thursday to his wife, who lives in Monrovia and has a restraining order against Garcia, said Monrovia police Lt. Rick Wagnon.
When two officers came to her home to take a report, Garcia reportedly called again, but an officer picked up the phone instead.
“He said he had a gun and was going to shoot all three of them,” Wagnon said.
Monrovia police notified the San Diego County Sheriff's Department that Garcia was supposed to race in Del Mar on Friday.
The initial plan was to arrest Garcia after his race, but deputies became wary when Garcia made eye contact with them and walked into the paddock area, said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club President and CEO Joe Harper.
He was led away in handcuffs in front of the crowd and later met by Monrovia police at the Encinitas sheriff's station.
He faces three counts of making criminal threats and one count of violating a court order. A preliminary hearing has been set for Sept. 18.
Kristina Davis: (619) 542-4591; kristina.davis@uniontrib.com
