For Some Distinguished Jockeys, It’s Been a Brutal Fall Season
It’s been a brutal 2 ½ months for jockeys. Punctured lungs. Lacerated kidneys. Damaged legs, ribs, and ankles from spills throughout races.
In a sport that has seen its share of horse racing accidents, the previous 2 ½ months appear to face out. The variety of jockey accidents might not be increased, however they’re drawing extra consideration as a result of they’ve occurred to a few of the greatest riders on the planet at a few of the sport’s most seen venues.
Irad Ortiz, Jr., North America’s main rider in races gained and a five-time Eclipse Award winner, had a scary fall within the Jockey Membership Gold Cup (G1) on Sept. 1 at Saratoga. After some bumping firstly, Ortiz was unseated by his mount, Mindframe, bounced briefly onto one other horse, White Abarrio, and hit the bottom laborious. Extremely, Ortiz got here away with a sore wrist and sore ribs and was again using a couple of days later.
Extra just lately, it was rising star Dylan Davis who was concerned in a spill. On Nov. 14 at Aqueduct, Heavyweight Champs, ridden by Ricardo Santana, Jr., broke down across the ultimate flip. Davis’ mount, Tarpaulin, couldn’t keep away from the fallen horse and unseated Davis, who suffered fractured ribs, a damaged collarbone, a lacerated kidney, and {a partially} collapsed lung.
Santana returned to experience the next day; Davis is out indefinitely. Tarpaulin sustained solely minor scrapes; Heavyweight Champs was euthanized.
In response to The Jockey Membership of North America, whereas particular statistics on jockey accidents might not be as available as these for horses, information from its Equine Damage Database and ongoing security initiatives mirror a dedication to bettering security for all members in horse racing.
The most typical accidents amongst jockeys embody fractures (particularly to the collarbone, wrist, and leg), concussions, and comfortable tissue accidents. Falls from horses are a main trigger of those accidents.
Ryan Moore, Brian Hernandez, Jr., amongst others injured since September
Different jockeys concerned in spills since September embody 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Brian Hernandez, Jr., prime European rider Ryan Moore (late August), Keith Asmussen, Romero Maragh, Sahin Civaci, Leonel Reyes, and Blake Shinn, a prime rider in Australia.
Ryan Moore: Among the many prime riders on the planet, Moore’s damaged leg was recognized on Aug. 31, two months after he sustained the harm, however he saved using. He’s been sidelined since and anticipated to return on Dec. 10 to experience in Hong Kong.
Brian Hernandez, Jr.: The 2024 Kentucky Derby winner aboard Mystik Dan and Kentucky Oaks winner aboard Thorpedo Anna was injured on Sept. 21 at Churchill Downs, struggling seven damaged ribs, a punctured lung, and a lacerated liver. Sgt. Garcia, the horse he was using, injured considered one of his entrance legs and needed to be euthanized. Hernandez returned to using on Nov. 12.
Romero Maragh: a Jamaican rider, fractured his elbow and thumb in a series response incident at Finger Lakes on Oct. 21. The chain response of bumping brought on Maragh’s horse, Ebook of Knowledge, to clip heels.
Leonel Reyes: Veteran Venezuelan rider broke his ankle in a three-horse spill at Gulfstream Park on Nov. 3. He underwent surgical procedure.
Blake Shinn: a Nicely-known Australian horse racing jockey, suffered a damaged leg (tibia and fibula) in a fall on Melbourne Cup Day, Nov. 4, at Flemington. He had surgical procedure and shall be out for a major interval, in keeping with experiences.
Joel Rosario: Corridor of Famer sprained an ankle in a turf race spill at Aqueduct on Nov. 7; he plans to return to using Nov. 20.
Keith Asmussen: Son of Corridor of Fame coach Steve Asmussen suffered a non-displaced fracture of the pelvis after being unseated when his horse clipped heels at Churchill Downs on Nov. 8. He’s out indefinitely, in keeping with experiences.
Sahin Civaci: Canada’s prime rider sustained hairline fractures to his T4 and T5 vertebrae in a fall at Aqueduct on Nov. 13. He’s anticipated to be sidelined for a month, in keeping with his agent.
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Related Press Horse Racing Editor. Presently, he serves because the information editor at US Racing, overseeing unique content material from contributors worldwide.
