LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Three jockeys who rode in the Kentucky Derby with Jose Santos defended their embattled colleague Sunday, saying they never saw anything suspicious in his hands during his victorious ride aboard Funny Cide.

From their losing mounts, jockeys Robby Albarado, Shane Sellers and Cornelio Velasquez said they saw nothing but a whip and the reins in Santos' hands when he crossed the finish line at Churchill Downs on May 3.

Accompanied by his lawyer, Santos will be in Louisville on Monday for a hearing with Churchill Downs track stewards, who spent the weekend examining a photo of him possibly holding something in his hand besides his whip.

The inquiry will focus "most particularly on the actions'' of Santos at the race, said chief steward Bernie Hettel, who will be joined by stewards Rick Leigh and Jack Middleton.

The stewards decided to investigate after The Miami Herald published the photo, along with a story. A reporter from the Herald brought the image to the attention of the stewards Thursday night.

The jockeys said there's no way Santos could have switched whip hands three times in the stretch and still keep something hidden.

"The guy's a great rider, but he's no magician,'' said Sellers, who finished next to last aboard Lone Star Sky in the 16-horse field.

"It's ludicrous,'' said Albarado, aboard Offlee Wild, who finished 12th.

The jockeys said Santos is one of the last people they would suspect of cheating.

"He doesn't need gimmicks. He's an honorable man,'' said Velasquez, who rode 11th-place Scrimshaw.

The three, interviewed in the jockeys' room at Churchill Downs, fear the inquiry will taint the biggest win of Santos' career resurgence.

The Chile native won an Eclipse Award in 1988 as the nation's outstanding jockey and was the leading rider in purse earnings from 1986 to '89.

He suffered broken bones in a spill at Belmont Park in 1992 and his career sagged.

Along the way, he served as a mentor for riders, including Velasquez.

"He's one of the masters. He's a teacher for all of us,'' he said.

Santos hired a new agent, Mike Sellitto, in 2002 and finished with $11.9 million in earnings. He capped the year by winning the Breeders' Cup Classic aboard 43-1 shot Volponi, his biggest victory until last weekend. Funny Cide went off at 12-1.

"No matter how this comes out, this will tarnish his image. It's sad, really sad,'' Sellers said.