Jockey Angel Suarez has undergone successful surgery to repair a broken femur suffered during a spill at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, La. on Saturday, the Puerto Rico native reported via Twitter on Sunday.
“Thanks everybody for the calls, txts and prayers,” Suarez wrote. “So many people reaching out with so many good wishes made my eyes tear you guys are amazing, thank you all.”
The incident occurred during Saturday's 10th race, when Suarez' mount Kehron's Creed was unable to avoid a stricken rival, Caramel Latte, at the five-sixteenths pole. Kehron's Creed returned to her feet and walked off the track under her own power, according to Equibase, while no news was provided on Caramel Latte.
An Eclipse Award finalist for outstanding apprentice jockey in 2012, Suarez has ridden 710 winners from 5,030 starters in his career.
Suarez made a few of the more bizarre headlines in racing history in 2014. The jockey faced criminal charges after he broke into two apartments in Bensalem, Penn., under the influence of an unknown substance. Though Suarez does not remember the night, he was spotted half-naked, climbing the second story balcony of a woman's apartment. He seized her dog and exited, leaping off the balcony. He then broke into another unit, where he was shot twice by a man babysitting a toddler.
Suarez underwent surgery for damage to his liver and pancreas, and was in a medically-induced coma for a week. He returned to the saddle in 2016, and was ranked in the top 100 jockeys by wins in both 2018 and 2019.
“There are a lot of people out there who are only looking out for themselves,” Suarez told Doug McCoy of The Racing Biz in 2018. “You have to learn who you're real friends are. It's been my true friends and family that's helped me pull through this. I've been lucky enough to be given a second chance in life and I'm trying to make the most of that chance.”
The post Jockey Angel Suarez Suffers Broken Femur In Fair Grounds Spill appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
