Exercise rider and former jockey Julio Pezua, 65, remains hospitalized after a spill during morning training at Belmont Park on April 2, according to the Daily Racing Form. Pezua underwent surgery to repair two fractured vertebrae in his neck, and is still recovering at Winthrop Hospital.
The incident occurred aboard Linda Rice trainee Five Alarm Robin, a 6-year-old mare who collapsed and fell after a workout, having suffered a suspected fatal cardiovascular event.
Rice told DRF that Pezua had feeling in his arms, though “they weren't that mobile,” and that his legs were mobile.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for Pezua's medical bills.
Pezua's career as a jockey began at Calder in 1985 and continued through 2018; his biggest win came in the 1992 Met Mile aboard Dixie Brass. His North American statistics include 1,316 wins from 12,073 starts.
Read more at the Daily Racing Form.
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