Arroyo 'Body Sore' Following Spill

Jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. will likely be sidelined for about a week while he recuperates from minor injuries suffered in a spill at Aqueduct Saturday.

"He is fine," said Arroyo's agent Max Hall on Sunday morning. "Nothing is broken. He is just banged up. They held him overnight for observation purposes. We are going to give him some time to heal. He will probably miss four or five days."

Arroyo initially was sent to Jamaica Hospital after the mishap, and then went to North Shore Hospital. He is expected to be released Sunday.

Arroyo was injured when his mount, Pete Shure, clipped heels with Fast Modem and fell after entering the stretch. Cryptoe Tap, ridden by Lorenzo Lezcano, also fell. Lezcano and both horses escaped injury. According to Equibase charts, Proud Marine jumped a fallen horse and went on to finish sixth, 23 lengths behind fifth-place Max Patch, who had been steadied to avoid the spill. Max Patch came home 15 lengths behind fourth-place finisher Rock Layer in the claiming race won by 9-5 favorite Speedway Sport.

"I was very happy to hear nothing was broken," Hall said. "It was a very nasty looking spill. Naturally you fear the worst, but he is just real body sore."