In a testament to the close-knit community of Thoroughbred racing, a GoFundMe account to benefit injured Laurel Park jockey Rosario Montanez had already surpassed its initial goal less than 24 hours after being created.
Montanez, 28, suffered multiple fractures to his back in a first-race spill at Laurel July 17, and underwent successful surgery the following morning at R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Agent Joe Rocco Sr. said Montanez also injured his neck in the accident.
Laurel trainer Brittany Russell launched the fundraiser the same day, with a goal of $20,000 to help with medical and general living expenses for Montanez and his fiancé, Chloe LaBarre, who works in Russell's barn and is the sister of apprentice rider Rebecca LaBarre.
By 1 p.m. Sunday, the fundraiser total stood at $20,750 and climbing, with 145 donations from horsemen throughout the Mid-Atlantic and beyond.
“It's incredible, right? It's so cool. The racing community, everybody is amazing,” Russell said. “You know when these guys get hurt, between the medical bills and just the living expenses, they're going to be out for a while and something like that can help.”
Montanez, a San Diego native who was a finalist for the 2011 Eclipse Award as champion apprentice, 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. Jockey Angel Cruz, aboard Annie Boo Boo, jumped to avoid the fallen horse and rider while Hendaya was able to get up and jog off the turf course.
A career winner of 609 races and more than $18.8 million in purse earnings since 2010, Montanez missed 20 months after suffering a concussion, fractured rib and pelvis, and head lacerations that required a plate to be surgically inserted in his face after a July 2014 spill at Saratoga, returning to the irons in March 2016.
Montanez was hurt again last August and didn't ride back until getting single mounts March 14 and 15 at Laurel. Following the March 15 program, live racing was paused in Maryland for 2 ½ months amid the coronavirus pandemic, resuming May 30.
“It's so sad. He's taken some hard hits. You're just gutted for him,” Russell said. “He was ready to come back and then the coronavirus hit. He was out there working every day, trying to hustle, and we [weren't] even racing. We get back to racing and then this happens. It's brutal.”
Riding primarily in Maryland, Montanez had seven wins from 77 mounts in 2020. A multiple stakes-winning jockey, he was also aboard Happy Lantern for Hall of Fame trainer King Leatherbury's 6,500th career victory Sept. 22, 2018 at Laurel.
“He's a good person. A lot of people like him,” Russell said. “You don't ever want to see these things happen ever, regardless of who it is. The last thing they need to be worrying about is expenses. They have enough on their plate right now.”
The day before Montanez was hurt, Russell's husband Sheldon, a multiple meet champion in Maryland who was leading Laurel's current summer stand in wins and purse earnings, broke his wrist in a starting gate mishap at Delaware Park and is expected to be out four to six weeks.
“It's been a rough couple days,” Russell said. “Sheldon's OK. It sucks and it's never a good time to get hurt, but looking at what happened to Rosario, it's a risk that's always there. Sheldon has a great attitude. It's racing. Things happen. It's dangerous.”
To donate to the Montanez GoFundMe fundraiser, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rosario-montanez
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