California Horse Racing Board stewards posted an explanation in their weekly minutes concerning the July 23 accident involving jockey Abel Cedillo shortly after the start of the fourth race at Del Mar on the seaside track's opening weekend.
Cedillo's mount, Get the Gold, was pinched at the start and clipped heels of a rival, sending the rider head first into the dirt in the one-mile race that began a short distance before the finish line. Cedillo fractured a bone in his neck and will be out about four to six weeks, according to Daily Racing Form.
Get the Gold did not suffer any serious injuries, according to reports.
The details of the incident, which can be read on the eighth page of the regularly published stewards minutes here, reveals failed communications between stewards and the paramedics who quickly arrived on the scene but failed to attend to Cedillo before members of the starting gate crew picked him up and carried him across the track to the winner's circle.
Cedillo told Daily Racing Form's Steve Andersen, “I think it was a mistake. They shouldn't have touched me. They should have stopped the race.”
The CHRB stewards minutes state: “With the rider lying motionless on the track and the field of horses having to cross where he was lying, steward Luis Jauregui used the radio to ask paramedics if they were going to be able to move him because a decision needed to be made on whether to stop the field and call off the race or continue, no response was given.
“A second radio call was made with the same request with no response. By this time the field of horses had passed the 3/4 pole. The paramedics were observed by the stewards opening the back doors to their vehicle and had not made contact with the rider and were not moving toward him. Steward Jauregui made a third radio call stating that the stewards needed to know if the paramedics were able to move him or not with no response.
“By this time, the field of horses had reached the half-mile pole. That was the last communication by the stewards during the race. The stewards made the decision amongst themselves that if the field of horses reached the 3 1/2 pole the race would be stopped and the horses ordered to pull up.
“At this point the stewards witnessed the rider being moved to the outside of the track. No mention, directive, or suggestion for this to happen was given by the stewards. With no further obstructions in the track the stewards had no reason to stop the race and it was allowed to continue.”
Track officials did not comment on the incident.
Five days after the incident, steward Jauregui and safety steward David Nuesch attended a July 28 meeting presented by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club that the CHRB called “continuing education for the assistant starters/clockers/outriders.” According to the minutes posted online, “It was reported that a good discussion was held, and topics of concern were shared.”
Stewards minutes also detailed what they said were “poor preparation for the race meet.” Opening day problems involved proper views of race videos not routed to stewards' televisions, equipment malfunctions with televisions, tote board freeze-ups, and equipment problems for placing judges.
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