Exercise rider Bahena now in stable condition

Exercise rider Bulfrano Andres Bahena, who suffered serious back as well as various other injuries in a riding mishap Sunday at Gulfstream Park, has been upgraded from critical to stable condition his wife, Monica Garcia, advised on Friday.

Bahena underwent successful surgery on Wednesday at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami to stabilize his back but suffered significant nerve damage according to Garcia and faces a very long road of physical therapy and recovery according to his doctors. She said the long range prognosis remains “unknown” at the present time.

Bahena, better known as Chano to his many friends on the backstretch, was aboard an un-raced 2-year-old, Halverson, for trainer Bob Hess when the horse stumbled and rolled over on the fallen rider during the latter stages of a routine work according to accounts from eyewitnesses. Halverson ran off and suffered no apparent injuries from the incident.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help alleviate financial burdens Bahena and Garcia figure to face during his recovery. Donations can be made at gofund.me/052fec54.

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