Breeders' Cup still a possibility for Maragh

ELMONT, N.Y. – Don’t count Rajiv Maragh out of the Breeders’ Cup just yet.

According to his agent, Tony Micallef, Maragh has been told by doctors that his broken right arm could heal in time allow him to ride in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita on Oct. 31-Nov.1.

“The doctor said the bone will heal in two weeks, and he wants to see him again in two weeks,” Micallef said Monday morning.

“There is a chance he could ride the Breeders’ Cup, the doctor said.”

Maragh would have at least two live mounts for the Breeders’ Cup. Maragh has ridden Main Sequence to three Grade 1 victories, including Saturday’s Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, which he won by a neck over Twilight Eclipse. Maragh has also won two graded stakes aboard Artemis Agrotera, a top contender for the Filly and Mare Turf Sprint.

Maragh was named to ride Imperia on Sunday in the Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont, a race Imperia won with Javier Castellano.

On Sunday, trainer Graham Motion was lamenting having to make a change on Main Sequence because Maragh has “had an amazing rapport with that horse,” he said. Motion said that Main Sequence is a quirky horse to ride.

On Sunday, Maragh underwent surgery and had two plates and a couple of screws inserted to help stabilize the injury. Maragh, who was to be released from North Shore University Hospital on Monday, does not have a cast on his arm.

Maragh, 29, was injured in the Jockey Club Gold Cup when his mount, Wicked Strong, clipped heels with Moreno about 4 1/2 furlongs from the wire. Moreno, under Junior Alvarado, had allowed Moreno to drift in at that point of the race.

Alvarado was scheduled to meet with the stewards on Wednesday, and he could receive a suspension for careless riding.