Belterra Park leading rider Santiago Gonzalez out with leg fracture

CINCINNATI – Santiago Gonzalez, easily the leading rider at the current Belterra meet, will be out indefinitely after suffering a fractured femur in a training accident early Friday. Gonzalez was expected to need surgery for the injury, according to a track spokesman.

Gonzalez leads the Belterra standings with 69 wins, well ahead of the 45 posted by Perry Ouzts (through Thursday). His earnings at a meet that runs April 29 through Oct. 8 are just more than $1 million.

The incident occurred when a horse ridden by Gonzalez collided with another ridden by Mathieu Adam, a retired jockey who still works as an exercise rider. Adam escaped injury, but Gonzalez was not nearly as fortunate, as his mount appeared to step on him, according to Adam.