Jockeys at Mountaineer Park in New Cumberland, W.Va., refused to ride Monday's eight-race card over concerns with the track ambulance and a delayed response time to a spill in the previous night's sixth race.
Apprentice German Terraza sustained a fractured collarbone Sunday night in a fall when his mount, Another Flirt, was squeezed at the top of the stretch and clipped heels after relinquishing the lead in a one mile conditioned claiming race for fillies and mares carrying a $4,000 tag. Esta Caliente, ridden by Jose Leon, was disqualified from her third-place finish and placed last for drifting out and causing interference.
Another Flirt did not suffer any apparent injuries.
Terraza was not attended to by medical personnel for several minutes, according to witnesses. The next race was delayed about 12 minutes while the ambulance took Terraza to a local hospital.
The ambulance at Mountaineer Park does not routinely follow the horses and jockeys as is standard at most North American tracks, receiving permission from the West Virginia Racing Commission to stay on a paved road that circles the track (see below).
Tracks in West Virginia currently are not subject to rules and regulations of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, having won a favorable ruling in a lawsuit to which they are a party. HISA has specific regulations regarding both the human and equine ambulances, requiring the human ambulance to either follow the fields at a safe distance or be parked at an opening to the track.
According to James Colvin, Mountaineer's director of racing, there was a “miscommunication” on Sunday that is now under investigation by the racing commission.
“We were following the protocols the jockeys agreed to,” Colvin said. “We did not break any rules.”
Colvin said the ambulance is not a four-wheel drive vehicle and has difficulty navigating the racetrack if it has moisture in it. The track condition on Sunday night was “good” for the race in which Terraza was injured.
As horses were approaching the starting gate for Monday night's first race, a five-furlong sprint, jockeys noticed the ambulance was positioned in the chute on the opposite side of the track near the quarter pole. They were told the ambulance would not follow the field.
As a result, they returned to the jockeys room and opted not to ride.
Agent Bobby Quinones said Terraza would miss six to eight weeks while his collarbone heals. The apprentice had only returned on May 6 from another collarbone fracture sustained at Turfway Park last Nov. 30.
Terraza, who began riding in July 2022, has recorded 21 career wins from 235 mounts.
The post Mountaineer Park Jockeys Refuse To Ride Because Of Slow Ambulance Response After Spill appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
