Judice Sidelined after Colonial Fall; Other Riders Uninjured

Jockey Joe Judice, injured June 18 in a three-horse spill at Colonial Downs, has suffered a broken vertebra in his neck and will be sidelined for several months, according to a press release from the Virginia race track.

The incident occurred shortly after the field hit the backstretch in the second race, a $26,500-added maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up going one mile on the track’s inner turf surface, when Back in the Day with Malcolm Franklin aboard clipped heels and fell outward into the path of Judice’s mount, Hide and Seek. Two lengths back, New Point and Luis Garcia could not avoid the other two horses.

Franklin and Garcia were not seriously injured, although Franklin took off his mounts the following afternoon after working horses that morning. He is expected to return to riding June 22. Garcia rode June 19, making two trips to the winners’ circle that day.

All three horses involved walked off the track and appeared to escape serious injury.