rosario montanez | Horse Racing Free Tips

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

The post Hospitalized Jockey Rosario Montanez Showing Improvement After Back Surgery appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

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.

Source of original post

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.”

The post Montanez Fundraiser Surpasses Goal appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Montanez Recovering From Back Surgery After Laurel Park Spill

Jockey Rosario Montanez, an Eclipse Award finalist as the top apprentice of 2011, is recovering from successful back surgery Saturday to repair what agent Joe Rocco Sr. said were several fractures following a spill in Friday's first race at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

Montanez, a 28-year-old San Diego native, 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 before ultimately easing his horse, while Hendaya was able to get up and jog off the turf course.

Surgery was performed Saturday morning at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Rocco, a former jockey who won more than 3,700 races from 1979-2011, visited the hospital and was also getting updates from Montanez's sister-in-law, Laurel-based apprentice rider Rebecca Grace LaBarre.

“She said the surgery went well,” Rocco said. “He's out of surgery. They said he had like six broken bones in his back. They didn't give me the specifics, but they said he also broke his neck somewhere but they think it will heal on its own. I feel so bad for the boy.”

Riding primarily in Maryland, Montanez had seven wins from 77 mounts in 2020. A multiple stakes-winning jockey, he was aboard Happy Lantern for Hall of Fame trainer King Leatherbury's 6,500th career victory Sept. 22, 2018, at Laurel.

Rocco praised Montanez's talent and work ethic, particularly during Maryland's pause in live racing from mid-March to May 30 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“I love him,” Rocco said. “I love him. I was a jockey for 40 years. He's probably one of the most determined kids I ever met, and I was very determined. He worked every day during the virus. Every day. It's unreal. I feel terrible.”

The post Montanez Recovering From Back Surgery After Laurel Park Spill appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post