race spill

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.  - Jockey Jose Ortiz's return to competition at Saratoga Race Course Wednesday was very rewarding with three victories...and taxing. Ortiz was unseated and fell hard to the ground when his horse clipped heels in the first race of Friday's card. He was sent to Albany Medical Center where he was found to have bruised ribs. Ortiz took off his mounts Saturday and Sunday and was ready to ride again Wednesday, the start of the third week of the meet. In his comeback, Ortiz won with three of...

Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux suffered fractures in his back when going down in a spill in Saturday's fifth race at Santa Anita. In a post on his Facebook page, Desormeaux said the spill caused a "couple little bone cracks" in his back, but that he will not need surgery. Desormeaux added that his doctor "says it's completely a pain management situation." The 50-year-old three-time Eclipse Award-winning rider was aboard Scat's Choice (Scat Daddy) for trainer Vann Belvoir in the $25,000 claiming event when the 3-year-old filly broke down,...

Three jockeys, Agustin Gomez, Albin Jimenez and Joe Ramos, were involved in a racing incident just after the start of the fourth race at Indiana Grand Wednesday, June 17. As a result, Jimenez and Gomez were each transported to IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis with non-life-threatening injuries for further evaluation. Ramos walked back to the jockey's quarters following inspection by on-track medical personnel. Lichita, ridden by Agustin Gomez, fell after clipping heels along the inside rail, unseating Gomez. The incident caused a chain reaction with Ramos being unseated from Five Pics...

Jockey Marcelino Pedroza suffered a broke left collarbone as the result of a seventh race spill at Fair Grounds Thursday, according to his agent Richie Price. Jim's Silverbullet suffered a catastrophic injury at the top of the stretch and unseated Pedroza in the process. Mitchell Murrill, aboard rival Max Pandowdy and Robby Albarado, who rode Awe Patriot, were both dislodged from their mounts when trying to avoid Jim's Silverbullet. Murrill took off his remaining mount in race eight and is listed day-to-day. Albarado finished out the card. "[Pedroza] wants to...