By Christina Bossinakis
Florent Geroux, who was thrown from his mount during training hours at Keeneland Race Course Sunday morning, has sustained a fracture of the sternum, agent Doug Bredar told TDN Monday. The incident occurred shortly after 9:00 a.m. Sunday when GII Triple Bend S. winner Air Strike (Street Sense), who was accompanied by Geroux, stumbled just past the wire. The Phil D'Amato trainee is reportedly unharmed.
Following a battery of tests, the French-born rider was discharged from University of Kentucky hospital in Lexington Sunday afternoon and is expected to visit a specialist and undergo further testing over the course of the next few days. Bredar, who confirmed that Geroux would not ride at Keeneland through the weekend, was unable to give a timeline for the rider's return.
“Surgery is seldom performed on these types of breaks,” explained Bredar. “It's one of those things that usually has to heal on its own. We'll know more when he sees the specialist.”
According to Bredar, Geroux had been confirmed on at least three runners in the Breeders' Cup prior to the incident: Owendale (Into Mischief) (Classic); Totally Boss (Street Boss) (Turf Sprint); and Acclimate (Acclamation) (Turf).
“There is still a chance he will be 100% to run in the Breeders' Cup,” said Bredar, adding, “But we won't ride if he's not 100%. We're in unchartered territory here.”
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