Aqueduct: Dominguez hopes to return in a couple of weeks after suffering separated collarbone

Barbara D. Livingston

Jockey Ramon Dominguez, injured in a Sunday spill, is hoping to return to action in a couple of weeks.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – An optimistic Ramon Dominguez said Monday he is hoping to miss only a couple of weeks of riding, despite suffering a separation of his collarbone in a spill at Aqueduct on Sunday.

Dominguez met with a specialist Monday in Long Island who sounded optimistic about an expedited return to the saddle.

“He was very optimistic,” Dominguez said Monday afternoon. “He said the collarbone is slightly displaced; there is nothing they can do about it but let it heal. He said there’s no further damage I can do by doing any physical activity. He said in a matter of a couple of weeks I might be able to ride; whenever I can endure the pain.”

Dominguez said other than some discomfort in his neck, he was not in any pain Monday, the day after he was thrown from his mount, Mob Wife, who fell 50 yards from the wire in the Sunday’s eighth race at Aqueduct.

Dominguez said the only pain medication he took was Motrin that doctors gave him Sunday at North Shore University Hospital.

Dominguez said he was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Tuesday in Manhattan.

If he only missed two weeks, it’s conceivable that Dominguez could still ride Hansen in the $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 7. Hansen is one of several high-profile horses Dominguez rides. He also is the regular rider of defending Horse of the Year Havre de Grace, who made a successful return to the races in Saturday’s New Orleans Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds. Her next start is likely to be the Apple Blossom on April 13 at Oaklawn.

Steve Rushing, Dominguez’s agent, said he spoke with Mike Maker, trainer of Hansen, on Monday, but was “never asked for a timeframe” when Dominguez would be back.

“Mike Maker called me this morning, and he said that Dr. [Kendall] Hansen” owner of Hansen, “deals with pain management and he said if Ramon needs anything to give him a call,” Rushing said.

Dominguez also is the regular rider of Alpha, whom he rode to victory in the Count Fleet and Withers stakes. Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of Alpha, reiterated Monday that Alpha would “probably” run in the Wood Memorial – with the Louisiana Derby as Plan B – but he has not yet confirmed a rider. McLaughlin originally wanted to run in the Florida Derby in part to retain Dominguez. But the Florida Derby is coming up extremely tough.

Samuel Camacho, who also was involved in Sunday’s spill, was uninjured and cleared to ride Wednesday.