Velazquez injured in three-horse spill at Churchill-UPDATED

by | 06.17.2012 | 6:21am
  • click above & share!
    X
  • click above & share!
    X


  • click above & share!
    X
  • click above & share!
    X

Jockey John Velazquez, who piloted Union Rags to victory in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) June 9, was injured in a three-horse spill at Churchill Downs Saturday night.

Velazquez’s mount in the ninth race, Mr. Producer, broke down near the sixteenth pole, sending Velazquez to the ground. The horse fell toward the rail, prompting Smart Farda, ridden by Manoel Cruz, to go down. The third horse, Lemansky, ridden by John McKee, then stumbled over Velazquez.

Velazquez was transported to Norton Audubon Hospital; Churchill Downs spokesman Darren Rogers said Velazquez had full mobility, but complained of shoulder pain.

Both Cruz and McKee returned to the jockeys’ room; McKee took off his remaining mounts due to neck and head pain.

Mr. Producer suffered a fractured cannon bone and had to be euthanized. The other two horses, Lemansky and Smart Farda, walked back to their barns.

Update:

It has been reported that John Velazquez suffered a broken right collarbone in the spill that occurred Saturday evening at Churchill Downs, and will require surgery. According to the Blood-Horse, Velazquez was also to undergo a CT scan on his back, and hoped that his collarbone could be stabilized enough so that he could have the surgery in New York.

» Read more at Courier-Journal
New to the Paulick Report? Click here to sign up for our daily email newsletter to keep up on this and other stories happening in the Thoroughbred industry
  • Skip Ean

    Have you ever witnessed a time when so many horses at so many tracks break down and endanger themselves and their riders?   Once again, the horse’s bones give out and now he is dead and Johnny is badly hurt.  What do you think is causing all of these breakdowns and broken bones–any idea?  Could it be years of drugging making those bones weaker?  Just a thought…

    Meanwhile, RIP Mr. Producer and lots of prayers going to Johnny…

  • Ace

    Every horse that races is at risk every second of every day-and no more so than during a race, when taking a bad step, hitting a bad patch of ground and 10 billion other bad beats cab happen.
    This is not a game for boys in short pants, as Charlie Whittingham posited.
    If you don’t want breakdowns, outlaw horse racing.
    And yes, I have witnessed a time when more horses broke down.  Try looking at Del Mar before they replaced the track.

  • LL

    We had a horse in the race and the outcome was not what we were hoping for but he came back safely. I’ve had a horse break down many years ago and it’s devastating. My sympathies to the connections and to Johnny. I sometimes wonder if the pushing for the 2 yr old sales have something to do with breakdowns. Graham is a wonderful trainer and has a caring staff. Accidents happen in racing over which you have no control as you have mentioned.

  • Triplecrownquest

    Get well soon Johnny V !
    RIP Mr Producer…you are in a better place I hope.

  • Liz Jamieson

    Sad that the horse’s death is always reported as an afterthought – without the horses, there is no horse racing. And racing people wonder why animal rights people go after horse racing. We have make sure that only sound, healthy, non drugged horses are racing -to try and keep horse and rider out of harms way. Also I have yet to see the fact that the horse died be the headline.

  • Ace

    Liz-your heart is in the right place-if only sound horses race in this country, i would guestimate that 80% of the tracks would close.
    I don’t disagree with you-necessarily-but the industry is “too big to fail”-and no one is volunteering to close.
    If you stand by your declaration, then you might as well call for the abandonment of horse racing.

  • Munda

    Look to the way we are breeding horses, maybe there you will find an anwser

  • Robyn Hoffmann

    Rest in peace, Mr. Producer.  And may John Velasquez have a full and prompt recovery from his fracture.

  • Marshall Cassidy

    Charlie Whittingham might have made the “short pants” comment at some time, but the first time I heard it was in the winner’s circle at Belmont Park, July 6, 1975, when trainer Leroy Jolley was queried after Foolish Pleasure won The Great Match Race against Ruffian.

    Otherwise, your points are taken seriously.

  • Ssk12955

    JR’s luck ran out. He has been injury free for quite awhile, but the odds caught up to him.  Sorry the the horse had to be put down, Al and John.

  • Ssk12955

    Skippy, wake up. This is not the case. This game is not for the weak of heart. Go back to your game of tiddlewinks.

  • Emerald Way

    So the condition of the HUMAN jockey is less important than the animal?  I love horses and racing as much as anyone, but you really need to check your priorities.  Johnny V. has a family with young children.  He is a person.  He comes first.  Without a jockey risking their life to ride the horse, there is no horse racing either.

  • http://Bellwether4u.com James Staples

    n the past they never mentioned what happened to the HORSE…times r changing for the better…for “THE HORSE”…& ITS ABOUT DAMN TIME!!!…

  • Louiethecaterer

    You folks succedded in cancelling LUCK….aren’t you satisfied yet?

Twitter

follow us on twitter »