Evangeline: Injured Hebert feels well enough to visit colleagues at track

OPELOUSAS, La. - Jockey Tracy Hebert, who sustained multiple injuries in a spill Wednesday evening at Evangeline Downs, popped in for a visit to the Evangeline racing office Saturday evening just before the card got underway. He predicted that he would be back in the saddle in two or three months.

"I'm really doing great," Hebert said. "Considering all I went through, I really feel good."

Hebert, who hit the ground hard when his mount fell and was hit by a trailing horse in the final race that night, sustained a broken nose and breastbone, plus 12 broken ribs and two collapsed lungs. He was in the ICU at Opelousas General before being moved to a regular room on Thursday.

"They put iodine or something in my lungs and got them blown out and then moved me to a regular room before sending me home Friday evening," he said. "The doctor said as along as my insides were doing good, I didn't need to be there, so he sent me home."

"He said that I was lucky that my sternum had a clean break," Hebert continued. "He said it would heal better and faster that way. I could be all healed up in about a month"

A native of nearby Erath, Hebert said that he went to the jockeys' room and surprised everyone by being up and around.

"There's nothing wrong with my walking, so I was told to get up and move around," he said.