Berrio may be capable of resuming riding soon

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Omar Berrio, who was released from the hospital Saturday evening, two days after suffering a stroke, does not appear to have sustained any permanent damage and is scheduled to visit with a doctor on Thursday to determine whether he can return to riding in the near future, said his wife, Karina Berrio.

“They said he’s doing pretty good,” she said. “He doesn’t need therapy. I asked the doctor when he can go back to work. He said, ‘Give him a few days to relax, but he’s doing pretty good.’ ”

Berrio, 42, rides primarily for trainer A.C. Avila, who has been in frequent contact with the jockey since he was stricken.

“They ran all the tests and everything looked okay,” Avila said. “If he feels strong, he can start doing some exercises. So far, it doesn’t look like there is anything wrong.”

Berrio suffered the stroke just hours after winning last Thursday’s feature race on the Avila-trained Celtic Princess. He was taken to Arcadia Methodist Hospital at 6 p.m. by his wife.

For the 2010 season, Berrio won 23 races from 159 mounts, just a year after returning from a suspension for a cocaine positive. A native of Panama, Berrio has ridden since he was 19 and has 545 career wins.

Go Forth North fractures shin

Go Forth North will miss at least four months after sustaining a fractured shin in the Grade 2 Robert Frankel Stakes on Saturday, Avila said.
Go Forth North finished third, 1 1/4 lengths behind race winner Sprint Style, after racing in the field of four throughout the race over 1 1/8 miles. Spring Style finished a nose in front of the 1-5 favorite Harmonious.

Avila said that Go Forth North will have a screw inserted in the shin to stabilize the injury in coming days.

“We’ll X-ray it again in six weeks,” Avila said. “It looks like a minor thing. It’s minor, but it’s painful.”

Avila said he hoped that Go Forth North could return to racing in the spring.

The 4-year-old Go Forth North has won 3 of 13 starts and $219,164. She won two stakes last year – the Sandy Blue Handicap at Del Mar in August and Grade 3 Harold Ramser Stakes at Hollywood Park. A filly by North Light, Go Forth North was third in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Hollywood Park in late November.