The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority is looking into an Oct. 18 incident at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla., that left an injured jockey waiting an extended period of time for on-track medical personnel to attend to him and for an off-track ambulance to transport him to a local hospital.
The incident occurred as horses for the evening's fourth race were in the tunnel, heading toward the main track after leaving the paddock. Princess Ball, with Gustavo Herrera aboard, reared and fell on the jockey, causing multiple fractures to his tibia, pelvis, and hip socket.
On-track medical personnel did not get to Herrera immediately because the ambulance was parked near the starting gate on the far side of the track, according to Dr. John Chancey, executive director of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission.
“I think there was some miscommunication on the medical staff, the paramedics, with the track's ambulance,” Chancey said. “So I don't think the kid got real quick attention is my understanding.”
Meanwhile, four of the horses behind Herrera were trying to get to the racetrack and the stricken rider was told to move, his agent, Erik McNeil, said. “He couldn't because he was hurt, but they picked him up and carried him, which you're not supposed to do,” McNeil said.
When someone did show up from the track's medical staff, McNeil said, “the guy was asking us if we had any scissors. I don't even know if he was a licensed paramedic. It was a circus.”
After Herrera was moved from where he was injured, Remington Park medical personnel transferred Herrera to a backboard and with help from bystanders carried the jockey to a public area near the grandstand entrance and set the backboard on a bench, McNeil said. Chancey cited government regulations that require transport to hospitals by ambulances operated either by the hospitals themselves or the city's contracted service, EMSA Care. Because of that regulation, Herrera was forced to wait for that emergency response vehicle to arrive at the track.
Herrera waited as long as 45 minutes for the EMSA Care ambulance to arrive, McNeil said. Chancey said he heard the response time was 29 minutes.
“EMSA had to come from off site and it took an extremely long response time,” Chaney said. “That's unusual but it's a bad situation and the longer response time exaggerated the situation.”
McNeil said when the ambulance did arrive, it did so without its emergency lights flashing and at a slow speed. “It took forever for them to get to us,” McNeil said. “He wasn't in any hurry.” By then, McNeil was worried the rider was going into shock from the pain.
The fourth race was delayed a half hour from its scheduled post time. The remainder of the card was cancelled after Herrera's fellow jockeys wanted the situation to be addressed and opted not to ride any more races that night.
Herrera underwent surgery Oct. 19 to repair the cracked tibia. A second surgery, expected to last five hours, was under way on Monday (Oct. 23) to repair the injured hip socket. Herrera's best-case scenario is to return in three to four months, McNeil said.
The Jockeys' Guild issued the following statement on the incident: “The Jockeys' Guild was contacted immediately after the accident at Remington Park on Wednesday, Oct 18, 2023. Terry Meyocks, president and CEO of Jockeys' Guild, joined an initial call with at least six concerned jockeys and track management on Thursday, Oct 19, to discuss the concerning medical response. It was a constructive dialogue and the track was responsive to the concerns within their power. The Guild looped in the HISA Medical Team as they collaborate to make systemic safety improvements across the country.”
Chancey said he was also involved in the meeting and that “some of the issues were resolved as far as staging the ambulance in the proper locations where they can have a quick response. Also have EMT in the saddling paddock available when everyone is the paddock. Details like that can make a difference.”
The OHRC requires an ambulance and paramedics be situated for a quick response when there's an injury, Chancey said. “I think, in this instance, the ambulance was on the other side of the track.”
A spokesperson for HISA said the incident is being investigated and offered the following statement: “HISA became aware that a jockey was thrown from his horse at Remington Park through the Jockeys' Guild. Executives from Jockeys' Guild and HISA, including our National Medical Director, Dr. Pete Hester, have been in contact with the racetrack's jockey colony, as well as senior management and safety staff, who have confirmed they are conducting an investigation. In line with our efforts to ensure that racetrack medical teams and first responders are trained to handle a variety of emergent situations, HISA will issue recommendations to Remington Park following the conclusion of that investigation.
“Promoting jockey health and safety is of paramount importance to HISA and we will continue to take measures to strengthen the emergency preparedness of racetracks under our purview.”
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