Edited from track reports
Jockeys Tyler Baze and Jose Silva suffered serious injuries Monday in a five-horse spill which marred the running of the fourth race at Del Mar.X rays disclosed that Baze sustained fractures of the great toe on the left foot and the top of the foot itself, while Silva suffered a fracture of the L-1 lumbar vertebra, but no nerve damage. Results were pending on X rays of jockey Tony Lovato, who complained of back pains at the track first aid station and was taken to a nearby hospital. The spill occurred when Lovato's mount, Mr. Powerful, broke down in the left foreleg on the far turn, stumbled and fell, triggering a chain reaction of horses behind him. Jentzen, ridden by Silva, ran into the fallen Mr. Powerful and fell, unseating his rider. Kiss An Angel, with Baze up, and The Station, ridden by David Flores, were able to avoid the fallen horses but stumbled badly, unseating their jockeys. A fifth horse to fall was Pacific Pride, piloted by apprentice Mick Ruis, who was unable to avoid the congestion.As a result of their injuries, three horses -- Jentzen, Pacific Pride and Mr. Powerful -- were humanely euthanized. Kiss An Angel and The Station apparently escaped serious injury. Flores and Ruis suffered only bruises and were able to ride later in the program. Flores bruised his right shoulder while Ruis bruised his left ankle. Ruis, a l6-year-old apprentice jockey from Poway, rode his first winner of the season by taking the day's last race, the eighth, aboard Doin' It Easy.
Jockey David Flores is taken from the Del Mar Race Track in an ambulance after a horse spill in the fourth race Monday that resulted in three horses being destroyed.
