ARCADIA, Calif. – Abel Cedillo rode Hot Rod Charlie to a neck win over Parnelli in Friday’s third race at Santa Anita, a maiden special weight race at a mile for 2-year-olds that could produce a few runners for important stakes in coming months. For a rider successful on a promising colt, Cedillo was not in a particularly bright mood while walking to the jockeys’ room. Friday was the first program at Santa Anita since stricter whip rules were enacted by the California Horse Racing Board on Thursday, with the start of October. Riders are restricted to using the whip no more than six times in an underhanded motion, cannot raise the whip over their shoulders, and can use the whip no more than twice in succession without giving a horse a chance to respond. From Cedillo’s perspective, Hot Rod Charlie should have been his second winner of the day. Cedillo was beaten a neck on even-money favorite Master Ryan in the first race when the gelding could not hold off a late run from stablemate Perfectionistic. Master Ryan led in the final sixteenth, with Cedillo limited to right-handed urging. He said he was unable to switch his stick from his right hand to the left. :: Get DRF Betting Strategies for Santa Anita’s Saturday card Cedillo described the new rules as “ridiculous.” “I would have won and I couldn’t switch,” he said. “I don’t know how to hit with the left hand with the whip down. I have to work on it. I know it will cost a lot of winners.” Hot Rod Charlie and Parnelli finished 16 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Bolu in a field of five. The two ran together through the final quarter-mile. During the stretch run, Cedillo said he nearly reverted to the old overhanded whip motion, the style he used as recently as Sunday. “I almost was going to put my whip up,” Cedillo said. “I thought, there are new rules. Don’t do it. “It’s hard to change.” The new rules are in effect at all three of the state’s racetracks, including Golden Gate Fields in Northern California and the mixed meeting of Quarter Horses and lower-level Thoroughbreds at Los Alamitos. :: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more. Through Friday’s program at Santa Anita, several riders could be seen giving their mounts more vigorous hand-rides as a result of the new rules. A few used whips in excess of the permitted six strikes. Several riders were scheduled to meet with track stewards on Saturday to discuss some their rides on Friday’s program. According to terms of the new rules, violations could result in three-day suspension or fines of $1,000, although stewards were recently encouraged by the racing board to consider a more lenient approach in the first days of the new regulations. Drayden Van Dyke rode Parnelli, who had finished second to the well-regarded Superman Shaq in a maiden special weight race at 5 1/2 furlongs on Sept. 6 at Del Mar and had his first start at two turns on Friday. Van Dyke thought Parnelli may have won had he been able to utilize the previous rules. “We can’t ride them to their full potential, even if it’s a light overhanded tap left-handed,” he said. “That can make a difference. That’s a 2-year-old going long second time out. He needs the encouragement. It’s like taking a hammer away from a carpenter.” He said repositioning a whip from one hand to another from an underhanded grip can be difficult. “People have to understand to get that whip over to your left hand, there are certain techniques you have to do,” Van Dyke said. “Underhanded bars you from being able to do it as quickly. This is a game when every millisecond matters. I think it’s really discouraging.” Van Dyke said riders will need a period of time to acclimate to the new rules. “I don’t think it’s a great idea for the sport,” he said. “It’s making our job that’s hard already really, really freaking hard.” Cedillo did record a second win when Hollywood’s Best won a maiden special weight race at six furlongs. Cedillo used his whip six times, and only once in the final sixteenth. In the ninth race, jockey Mike Smith finished second on 11-1 French Getaway who closed well to finish second to 3-2 favorite Shadow Spinx. Smith was skeptical of the new rules before they were implemented and did not change his mind after two mounts Friday. “In my professional opinion, it’s not going to work,” Smith said. “If you’re on a deep track and they’re tiring, it doesn’t work. It’ll cost somebody second money, a win, or third money. “If you get one that wants to do it, it’s no problem. If they need to be encouraged, they’ll do something different every stride sometimes. It’s frustrating.”