Corey Nakatani, No. 2 all-time with 108 stakes victories at Del Mar, remained at Scripps La Jolla Hospital Saturday night pending further examinations of a possible back problem. Nakatani and Geovanni Franco were taken to the hospital following Saturday's 10th race when the 47-year-old's mount, Irish Spring (Spring at Last), went down after clipping heels with a horse in front of him. Franco's mount, Bitter Ring Home (Lemon Drop Kid), went over his stricken foe and also went down.
According to a Sunday morning text from Nakatani's son and agent, Matt: “Positive news! We just met with the spinal specialist and he will be released from the hospital shortly. He thankfully escaped without any major injuries, however, his timetable to return to riding is uncertain..We will be heading back to L.A. tonight to visit with a specialist in the coming days.”
He added, “Thank you to everyone who has called/texted checking on my dad. We can't thank you all enough for your prayers.”
Nakatani notched his second win of the meeting, from 20 mounts, aboard Little Juanito (Exchange Rate) for trainer Victor Garcia in Saturday's sixth race.
Franco returned to the track to work horses Sunday morning and was listed on four mounts on Del Mar's afternoon card. According to agent James Giannone, the 21-year-old native of Mexico suffered a bruised left foot.
“He's very fortunate, and blessed, to be able to come out of it the way he did,” Giannone explained. “Something like this is tough on everyone, but he's cowboy tough. The last time he went down like this, last year at Oaklawn Park, he won two races the next day.”
Franco, in his second season at Del Mar, has eight wins from 59 mounts through the first 14 days of the meeting, placing him sixth in the rider standings.
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