Bejarano escapes injury in spill at Del Mar

DEL MAR, Calif. - Rafael Bejarano, the second-leading rider at Del Mar this summer, escaped serious injury but will not ride the remainder of the card Sunday at Del Mar following an accident in the day's third race in which he was thrown from his mount.

Bejarano was released from Scripps La Jolla Hospital around 5 p.m. Pacific on Sunday after being taken there for evaluation.

"He's fine. No breaks, nothing. He's been cleared to ride, but he won't ride again until Wednesday," said Joe Ferrer, Bejarano's agent.

The accident happened about a furlong into the six-furlong race. Bejarano's mount, Wallstreeter, was near the front, just behind the leaders, but was crowded by Free Range, who came over from the outside under jockey Christian Santiago Reyes. It appeared that Wallstreeter's right shoulder was forced into the left hindquarters of Free Range, and then Wallstreeter clipped the heels of Free Range, dislodging Bejarano.

Bejarano jumped immediately to his feet, but then sat back down and was attended to by paramedics.

Joel Rosario, aboard Include Me Out, did a miraculous job off pulling his mount to the outside and largely avoiding direct contact with Bejarano, who fell right in front of him with no warning.

Bejarano began the day one win behind Rosario in the jockey standings.

Free Range was disqualified by the track's stewards and placed last.