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Hospitalized Jockey Rosario Montanez Showing Improvement After Back Surgery

A second goal has been exceeded in the fundraising effort for injured Laurel Park jockey Rosario Montanez, who remains hospitalized but is showing signs of improvement, his agent Joe Rocco Sr. said.

As of 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, a GoFundMe account created by Laurel trainer Brittany Russell stood at $32,580, topping the goal of $30,000 to go toward medical and general living expenses for Montanez, 28, and his fiancé, Chloe LaBarre.

It is the second time in less than a week the goal has been surpassed. The initial goal of $20,000 upon the fund's creation July 18 was eclipsed in less than 24 hours.

“That is amazing, thank the Lord. That's how much Rosario is liked,” Rocco said. “Hardest working jockey I've ever met in my 40 years on the racetrack.”

A San Diego native who was a finalist for the 2011 Eclipse Award as champion apprentice, Montanez 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. While he was being tended to on the track, Hendaya was able to get up and jog off the turf course.

Montanez underwent surgery July 18 to repair several fractures in his back at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he remains. He is allowed one daily 10-minute visit per hospital protocol amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“They say he's doing a lot better,” Rocco said. “They took the tubes from his throat, so that's a good sign.”

Three races after he went down, Montanez was booked to ride No Fooling Dude for trainer Marilyn McMullen. Retired jockey Vince 'Jimbo' Bracciale Jr., who used to ride with Rocco and now works with McMullen, credited the on-site medical staff led by Dr. Kelly Ryan of MedStar Health for their work with Montanez.

“Jimbo was on scene when it happened,” Rocco said. “He told me the EMTs did a hell of a job, and Doc Kelly. She told them everything to do and they were right on. He said he thinks they saved his life.”

Between them, Rocco (3,714) and Bracciale (3,545) won 7,259 career races. In addition to his agent, Montanez frequently goes to Bracciale for advice and support.

“He'd always ask me, 'Who was the best jockey you ever rode with?' I rode with a lot of great jockeys, but Jimbo was probably one of the best,” Rocco said. “When I told him that, he was at his barn every day asking him questions. He's just an amazing boy, man. I've never seen a jockey want to be the best he can be more than him.”

To donate to Montanez's GoFundMe campaign, visit www.gofundme.com/f/rosario-montanez

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Racing Community Rallies In Support Of Injured Jockey Montanez

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 6,500^th 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

The post Racing Community Rallies In Support Of Injured Jockey Montanez appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hello Beautiful Breezes At Laurel With Eye On Saratoga’s Test

Multiple stakes-winning 3-year-old filly Hello Beautiful continued preparations for a possible start in next month's Test (G1) at Saratoga with a strong five-furlong breeze over Laurel Park's main track Sunday morning in Laurel, Md.

With jockey Jevian Toledo subbing for injured regular rider and work partner Sheldon Russell, Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stable and Magic City Stables' Hello Beautiful covered the distance in 1:01.20, the fastest of six horses.

It was the second work for Hello Beautiful since her front-running 8 1/4-length allowance romp June 20 at Laurel that improved her record to four wins, two seconds and a third with $199,360 in purse earnings from eight career starts.

“Toledo has worked some good ones and prepped for some big races, so he knows how to work a good horse,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “Toledo worked her beautifully, and she went excellent. She's just doing great.”

The connections have yet to settle on a next start for Hello Beautiful but are giving strong consideration to the Test, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies Aug. 8 on the undercard of the Travers (G1).

Wherever she runs next, Hello Beautiful will need a new rider. Sheldon Russell, the trainer's husband, is expected to miss four to six weeks after breaking his right wrist in a starting gate mishap July 16 at Delaware Park. He has been aboard for all of Hello Beautiful's races.

Due to the track's health and safety protocols, out-of-town jockeys are currently not allowed to ride at Saratoga this summer. Brittany Russell said two-time defending Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz Jr. would likely get the call if Hello Beautiful runs in the Test.

“It depends on where we decide to go,” she said. “but I think we're going to go with Irad if we go to New York.”

Though he couldn't be aboard, Sheldon Russell was at Laurel to see Hello Beautiful work, bringing along the couple's 11-month-old daughter, Edy.

“He did show up to watch. He wanted to supervise. He showed up with Edy. I don't know how he managed that with one arm,” Brittany Russell said. “He called me and said, 'I'm on my way.' I'm like, 'How are you on your way?' He got here with Edy and they watched her work, so that was great that he came out.”

Hello Beautiful has raced exclusively in Maryland since her unveiling last May at Pimlico Race Course. She captured the Maryland Million Lassie and Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship last fall at Laurel by a combined 15 ½ lengths.

The combination of a planned break and a 2 ½-month pause in live racing from mid-March to late May amid the coronavirus pandemic pushed Hello Beautiful's sophomore debut to a June 1 sprint over Laurel's world-class turf course, where she faded to seventh, her only time off the board. She rebounded impressively 19 days later on a sloppy and sealed main track.

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Montanez Fundraiser Surpasses Goal

The GoFundMe account set up to support jockey Rosario Montanez, injured in a spill at Laurel, surpassed its goal of $20,000 less than 24 hours after it was created. Montanez, 28, suffered multiple fractures to his back in a first-race spill at the Maryland track 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 to help with medical and general living expenses for Montanez and his fiance, Chloe LaBarre, who works in Russell’s barn and is the sister of apprentice rider Rebecca LaBarre.

“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.”

“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.”

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.”

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