Mejia Taken Off Monmouth Park Mounts, Has Hearing Scheduled After Suspicious Photo Surfaces

Jockey Tomas Mejia was taken off his mounts this past weekend by order of the stewards at Monmouth Park and a hearing will be conducted on Sept. 15, presumably revolving around a suspicious photo that appears to show an object in the rider's left hand following a Sept. 3 comeback win at the Oceanport, N.J., track.

Mejia rode Colts Neck Stable's Strongerthanuknow to victory in the seventh race that day for trainer Jorge Duarte Jr., defeating 9-10 favorite Mumbai by a neck after rallying in deep stretch.

A photo of Mejia aboard the filly taken by the track photographer was posted on Monmouth Park's Facebook page commemorating the fact it was his first mount since being injured in a July 25 spill at Monmouth. The photo was subsequently removed after officials were alerted to what appeared to be an object in Mejia's left hand, but a copy of the photo was also circulating on Twitter.

The New Jersey Racing Commission does not permit its stewards to talk to the media and a spokesperson for the commission did not respond to a query on Sept. 10 about the reason for the Sept. 15 hearing. A track spokesperson also declined to comment. Mejia's agent, Robert Tuccille, did not respond to phone calls or voice messages from Paulick Report.

Mejia, a native of Panama  and graduate of that country's Laffit Pincay Jr. jockey academy, won two additional races over the Labor Day weekend, winning with three of 10 total mounts. With 19 wins from 149 mounts at the current meet, he ranks ninth among Monmouth Park jockeys in that category. He's won a total of 110 races in the U.S. since 2018, when he arrived from Panama, where he was the leading apprentice. His most noteworthy victory came last Sept. 13 when he rode 158-1 longshot Andrez Conquist to a victory that established a new Monmouth Park record for a $2 parimutuel win payoff of $319.80.

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Update: Jockeys Mejia, Figueroa Escape Serious Injury In Monmouth Spill

Jockeys Tomas Mejia and Heriberto Figueroa did not suffer any serious injuries in Sunday's fifth-race accident at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., and both riders were released that night from a local hospital after being evaluated.

One of the two horses involved, Rose for a Saint, sustained only minor scrapes after falling onto the turf, while the other, Service With Honor, sustained a knee injury that will likely end his racing career. 

Mejia was between horses aboard Service With Honor rounding the far turn of the 1 1/16 mile grass contest when horse and rider suddenly went down after clipping heels. Figueroa and Rose for a Saint were unable to avoid Service With Honor and also fell.

Robert Tuccille, agent for Mejia, said the 25-year-old is “very sore” but no fractures or internal injuries were found in a series of CT scans and X-rays. “It looked like maybe a horse nicked him after he went down,” Tuccille said. “He was in and out of consciousness and heavily medicated.” 

Tuccille said Mejia will need medical clearance but anticipates that he could be back riding within a week.

John Salamone, agent for Figueroa, said the rider is taking an anti-inflammatory for some body soreness but did not suffer a concussion, fractures or internal injuries. Figueroa took off his mounts at Colonial Downs on Monday but will ride at Monmouth on Friday, Salamone said.

Salamone said he visited Rose for a Saint at trainer Skip Einhorn's barn and the horse had only minor scrapes. Tuccille said trainer Michael Dini was at the hospital Sunday night to check on the condition of Mejia and said Service With Honor will likely be retired from racing because of an injury to his knee but will be able to go on to a second career.

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