Coa has some movement in feet, feeling in body

Jockey Eibar Coa, who underwent surgery on Thursday to repair the damage to the C4 vertebra in his neck suffered in a fall at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 18, is showing signs of movement in his feet and also continues to have feeling throughout his body, according to his agent, Tito Fuentes.

Fuentes said Coa’s surgeon, Dr. Scott Berta, was being cautiously optimistic about the rider’s recovery.

“Obviously it’s too early for the doctor to predict that Eibar would regain full movement,” said Fuentes. “He did say the progress he’s made so far is great but that he’s still got a long road ahead of him.”

Coa had the operation at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla.

“The surgery went well, just according to what the doctors expected,” said Fuentes. “Now it’s a matter of him recuperating and undergoing both rehabilitation and therapy.”

Coa was injured when his mount, Lady Chesterfield, fell over Precious Lady after that horse had stumbled and fallen a couple of hundred yards past the finish line following the conclusion of the sixth race last Friday.

Paco Lopez, who was aboard Precious Lady, suffered a chipped and sprained left elbow in the mishap and remains sidelined indefinitely. Lopez continues to sit atop the jockey standings at this meet despite having missed the last five days of racing due to his injuries.