Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez sustained a slight fracture of his first rib on the right side and a small bone chip near his right wrist as the result of a spill in the seventh race at Aqueduct Racetrack April 7, according to his valet, Tony Millan.
Velazquez was removed from the track on a stretcher, one day after winning the Wood Memorial (gr. I) aboard undefeated Verrazano .
Millan said Velazquez, who is expected to leave North Shore University Hospital some time on the evening of April 7, would follow up with his orthopedist, Dr. Stephen O'Brien, in the next two days.
Velazquez, 41, was unseated during the running of the seventh race when his mount, Katie Malone, appeared to clip heels with Ascended Fever ridden by Jilver Chamafi. Katie Malone stumbled and fell as a result, sending Velazquez to the turf course. Katie Malone did not appear to be seriously injured in the incident and was walked off the track.
It was not immediately clear how much time, if any, Velazquez would miss as a result of the injuries.
"He'll follow up with his doctor this week and we'll know more," Millan said. "The good news is that these appear to be relatively minor injuries."
The timing couldn't be worse for Velazquez. He is the regular rider of Verrazano and Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Orb , two of the leading contenders for the May 4 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).