Jockey Rafael Bejarano, leading jockey at Del Mar a year ago, suffered multiple facial fractures today, including a broken jaw, nose and bones around his eye, in a spill on opening day at the seaside oval. He will be admitted to Scippps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla tonight and further X-rays will be taken. There was no fracture of the clavicle, an original area of concern, but further tests will be conducted because Bejarano was complaining of pain in the area.
Bejarano was riding Mi Rey, an 8-year-old gelding, in today’s third race at Del Mar when the Doug O’Neill trainee broke down at the head of the stretch and dumped the 27-year-old Peruvian. Mi Rey continued to try to run on his injured right leg until stopping in front of the winner’s circle. According to CHRB equine medical director Dr. Rick Arthur, Mi Rey suffered a compound fracture of the right front fetlock, which is similar in nature to the human ankle.
Arthur said the gelding undoubtedly made the injury worse by trying to run after he was injured. He was loaded onto the horse ambulance and there was no chance to save him. He was euthanized in the ambulance.
According to a Del Mar racing official, Bejarano’s jaw will be wired and there is a strong possibility of surgery for the facial fractures.
Thank you for a much clearer and detailed account of the incident (as opposed to what the Blood Horse is reporting).
Wish Bejarano the best!
Yikes! Glad to hear that it wasn’t worse for Bejarano. Not a good way to start off the meeting.
All the best to him. I’m looking forward to his return. One hell of a jock.
Art, can you explain to me why when something like this happens the race track management takes away the race replay of the race? I know it’s not pretty to see, but some of us, including myself make a living at the track and would like to take a look of the race replay (mainly the head on) to see what horses were effected by the spill ie: checked, steadied, etc. Is it the animal groups that apply pressure or is it something that track management simply does on their own?
ING,
I think it’s the decision of track management. We know it’s not PETA, because there would be no races to replay if they were in charge.