Jockeys Juan Gutierrez and Anne Sanguinetti, involved in a spill in the 10th and final race at Emerald Downs Sept. 15, are now resting comfortably after sustaining separate injuries resulting from the accident.
According to jockey agent Keith Drebin, Gutierrez, the meet's leading rider with 96 wins, suffered a concussion and is out of action this weekend. Gutierrez is scheduled to see his doctor Sept. 23 and could be OK'd to ride pending the conclusion of the visit.
"Everything on the CAT scan came back clean," Drebin said. "With concussions you never know, but he seems to be doing OK."
Sanguinetti, sixth in the standings with 43 wins, sustained a compression fracture (trauma to the vertebra) and is out 6-to-8 weeks, according to her agent Bill Moss. She plans to get race fit this fall at Golden Gate before hooking up with trainer Jeff Metz this winter at Turf Paradise.
Gutierrez, 44, enters the final six days of the meet with a two-win lead over Isaias Enriquez, and still has a chance to win a second straight riding title, but Drebin said the important thing is the rider's long-term health.
"Whenever a rider goes down, you kind of have to put things in perspective," Drebin said. "Yeah (winning the title is important) but first we have to take care of Juan."
According to an Emerald Downs release, the incident occurred in the stretch of the six-furlong race for maiden fillies and mares. Slamin' Kitty, ridden by Sanguinetti, was contending for the lead from the outside when she broke her right foreleg and fell. Then Charismatic Hope, with Gutierrez aboard, clipped the fallen runner and tumbled to the ground.
