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Hospitalized Jockey Rosario Montanez Showing Improvement After Back Surgery

A second goal has been exceeded in the fundraising effort for injured Laurel Park jockey Rosario Montanez, who remains hospitalized but is showing signs of improvement, his agent Joe Rocco Sr. said.

As of 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, a GoFundMe account created by Laurel trainer Brittany Russell stood at $32,580, topping the goal of $30,000 to go toward medical and general living expenses for Montanez, 28, and his fiancé, Chloe LaBarre.

It is the second time in less than a week the goal has been surpassed. The initial goal of $20,000 upon the fund's creation July 18 was eclipsed in less than 24 hours.

“That is amazing, thank the Lord. That's how much Rosario is liked,” Rocco said. “Hardest working jockey I've ever met in my 40 years on the racetrack.”

A San Diego native who was a finalist for the 2011 Eclipse Award as champion apprentice, Montanez was unseated when his mount, 4-year-old filly Hendaya, clipped heels and fell leaving the backstretch of a 5 ½-furlong turf sprint for filly and mare claimers 3 and up. While he was being tended to on the track, Hendaya was able to get up and jog off the turf course.

Montanez underwent surgery July 18 to repair several fractures in his back at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he remains. He is allowed one daily 10-minute visit per hospital protocol amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“They say he's doing a lot better,” Rocco said. “They took the tubes from his throat, so that's a good sign.”

Three races after he went down, Montanez was booked to ride No Fooling Dude for trainer Marilyn McMullen. Retired jockey Vince 'Jimbo' Bracciale Jr., who used to ride with Rocco and now works with McMullen, credited the on-site medical staff led by Dr. Kelly Ryan of MedStar Health for their work with Montanez.

“Jimbo was on scene when it happened,” Rocco said. “He told me the EMTs did a hell of a job, and Doc Kelly. She told them everything to do and they were right on. He said he thinks they saved his life.”

Between them, Rocco (3,714) and Bracciale (3,545) won 7,259 career races. In addition to his agent, Montanez frequently goes to Bracciale for advice and support.

“He'd always ask me, 'Who was the best jockey you ever rode with?' I rode with a lot of great jockeys, but Jimbo was probably one of the best,” Rocco said. “When I told him that, he was at his barn every day asking him questions. He's just an amazing boy, man. I've never seen a jockey want to be the best he can be more than him.”

To donate to Montanez's GoFundMe campaign, visit www.gofundme.com/f/rosario-montanez

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Discovery of ‘Buzzer,’ Gun Lead To Summary Suspension Of Canterbury Park Jockey

Jockey Denny Velazquez has been summarily suspended by the Minnesota Racing Commission after a prohibited electrical device and a firearm allegedly were discovered during a vehicle search by racing commission personnel on Monday at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn.

Velazquez, 26, is currently third in the jockey standings at Canterbury, with 20 wins from 90 mounts. Prior to riding at the Minnesota track, Velazquez finished third in the rider standings at Turf Paradise in Arizona, where he won 56 races from 379 mounts during the 2019-'20 meet.

A hearing with the board of stewards at Canterbury Park is tentatively scheduled for July 30. Until his appearance Velazquez is denied access to all grounds under the jurisdiction of the Minnesota Racing Commission.

Cited in the ruling issued on Wednesday was Minnesota statute 240.25/Prohibited Acts, which reads in part: “No person may: (a) on the premises of a licensed racetrack use, possess, or knowingly assist another person in using a battery or buzzer, electrical or mechanical, or other device or appliance, which can be used to affect a horse's racing condition or performance, other than an ordinary whip.

The ruling also cited Minnesota rules concerning possession of a firearm on association grounds and carrying a weapon without a permit.

Steve May, executive director of the Minnesota Racing Commission, said animal cruelty criminal charges also may come in to play in the matter.

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‘I’m Drawing This As The Line’: After Injury In Fall At Ellis, Trainer Larry Jones Finished Galloping

Trainer Larry Jones has long been well-known for galloping his own horses, and his unique long-stirrup and fast-moving style have always set his trainees apart in the mornings. Those days are now over for the 63-year-old, following a serious spill last Saturday at Ellis Park.

According to the Daily Racing Form, Jones was thrown from an unraced 2-year-old and suffered nine broken ribs, a broken collarbone, and a fractured vertebra. He's back at work already, but looking forward, the trainer plans to stick to the pony or stay on the ground.

Six years ago, Jones had to be placed in a medically-induced coma due to a severe head injury after a fall at Delaware Park.

“Every time I'd get hurt, all I'd think about was getting back up,” Jones told the Daily Racing Form. “But not any longer. I'm drawing this as the line. I've looked for the end of that racetrack for 40 years now, but I'm done looking.”

A Spotlight on Stress in the Era of COVID: Eric Hamelback

ERIC HAMELBACK, CEO of the National HBPA

Working in racing has always been a stressful occupation; a roller-coaster of emotions, triumphs and tragedies, long hours and travel. Add a global pandemic and unprecedented economic worry, with many participants fearing for their health, livelihoods and businesses, and the stress can become almost overwhelming. It’s the sort of topic many people don’t like to talk about, but we asked several industry participants to open about what particular stresses they were feeling during these very concerning times, and how they were dealing with them. We open up with a remarkable letter that National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback has sent to his membership.

To say this year has been rough would certainly be the understatement of 2020 (so far). What we have all experienced personally and as an industry can undoubtedly be defined by one of the more commonly used words this year—unprecedented. We have seen events canceled amid health concerns even while implementing social distancing guidelines, experienced resource insecurity and much more.

All of that combined can affect our mental health and well-being. I feel that the topic of mental health, in particular, is not being discussed as much as it should be. With the issues our industry has had this year, we should all pay more attention to mental stress, which continues to burden many within our industry as well as those around us. Many of you reading this may not know that May was Mental Health Awareness Month. But we can still let it serve as a reminder to us all that self-care is critically important in addressing the stresses and disappointments stemming not only from the COVID-19 pandemic but also those being felt in our industry.

Rarely would I make my CEO letter personal, but this letter will be just that—personal. Stress on one’s mental health can affect us all—including you and me. Within the racing and breeding industry, I know mental health conditions can affect trainers, assistants, farm managers, jockeys, grooms and hot walkers, who all work in high-pressure environments. The lack of conversation about the subject can lead to crippling anxiety and depression, and in some extreme circumstances, it can lead to suicide. The suicide rates within the horse racing industry and within agriculture as a whole are alarming.

This topic strikes me to the core and has significantly affected me as well as my family. I know because I have experienced these conditions. This letter, while personal in nature, is meant to strike a chord in everyone, and I urge you to please take the effort to look around and help when help is needed. Many of you know my history, and I am able to talk at length about my fight with anxiety and severe depression, which I dealt with while under the extreme pressure of working for two major operations in the industry.

I read a post on Facebook recently from a friend who shared the thoughts of someone who posted their personal struggles with mental stress, and seeing this post inspired me to openly discuss this topic in my CEO letter. This very private post forced me to recall times in my life and in my career when the mental burdens of my positions became almost unsurmountable. I learned how much stress can take a toll on your physical and mental health, and I recognized I needed help. Unfortunately, many do not. Now, I understand how important it is to give assistance to those in need, and it is just as important for those of us suffering from stress to recognize the problem and then reach out for support.

The consequences of not getting support are becoming a staggering statistic. According to the National Institute of Mental Health Disorders, each year one in four people suffer from a mental health problem, which is why I hope to become more progressively involved in making sure this topic is more openly discussed and that assistance is made available in our industry. Organizations such as the National HBPA and the Race Track Chaplaincy of America need to put forth better efforts toward mental health recognition, aid in the promotion and adoption of good mental health practices, promote positive public health messages and be a resource to help horsemen find mental health care providers.

The occurrence of stress and mental well-being issues within our industry is indicative of the need for all of us to do a better job of recognizing the signs and offering assistance and support. We should be taking action on the most basic of levels, simply by opening up mental health discussions within our operations. Talking openly to one another about how we are feeling and leaning on one another for support could influence those who need help to take steps in the direction of professional support.

If more and more of us open up about the struggles we have experienced personally, it will lead to others jumping onboard to support those in need or to ask for help. We must eradicate the stigma many have about mental health issues and work harder toward recognition, treatment and recovery.

I ask that you please join me—a survivor—in working toward lowering the disturbing trend that is growing in our culture and in our industry. “Horsemen Helping Horsemen” is the motto of the National HBPA, and that has never been more important than right now. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask. If you think someone else needs help, don’t be afraid to offer. We can all make a positive difference in the lives of others in our industry.

Would you like to share your thoughts on stress during this particularly difficult time? Email the TDN’s Katie Ritz at katieritz@thetdn.com or Sue Finley at suefinley@thetdn.com.

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