Jockey Jauregui Fractures Lower Vertebrae

By Claire Novak
Jockey Luis Jauregui remained hospitalized Friday due to injuries incurred in an accident at the start of the eighth race Jan. 26 at Santa Anita.

According to the jockey's agent, Alex Procel, Jauregui sustained a hairline fracture in one of his lower vertebrae and was also complaining of neck pain. Jauregui will be confined to Arcadia Methodist Hospital for an unspecified amount of time.

"The main deal is his fractured vertebrae, but that's the kind of thing that heals by itself and you just have to take it easy," said Procel. "They're going to do a precautionary CAT scan of his neck because it's pretty sore. It's just day by day. They haven't been able to give us an estimated recovery time or even a release date."

Jauregui was thrown when his mount, 40-1 shot He's A Triehr, broke slowly at the start of a six-furlong event for maiden claimers and ducked in at the gap from his number one post position.

"He took him through the rail, so it wasn't a good scene," said Procel, who was notified of the accident after Jauregui was removed from the track via ambulance. The 4-year-old He's A Triehr, owned and trained by Brian Koriner, suffered no apparent injury from the incident.

"Yesterday, Luis was complaining of some pain because of bruising and just general soreness, but he seemed better when I saw him this evening," Procel said. "Hopefully, he'll be out of the hospital in a few days."