Tampa Bay: Centeno will miss rest of meet with pelvis injury

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Jockey Daniel Centeno, leading rider at Tampa Bay Downs, will be sidelined through the remainder of the meet as a result of injuries sustained when he was unseated from his mount shortly after the start of Friday's fourth race.

Centeno, who held a commanding lead in the jockey's race with 78 wins coming into Friday's program, was aboard Alajwad Dancer, a 4-year-old first time starter, in a five-furlong maiden claiming sprint when the horse broke slowly, then raced greenly after the break, swerving to the inside then back to the outside.

At that point, Centeno jumped from his mount but landed awkwardly and was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a separation of the pelvis.

According to his agent, Dan Mellul, Centeno is scheduled to undergo surgery on Sunday and is expected to be out approximately three months.

Centeno has been leading rider at Tampa for the past four years, setting a record for races won at a meeting of 144 in 2007-08.