Fuentes out indefinitely with injuries from spill

Jockey Luis Fuentes will be sidelined indefinitely due to injuries sustained in a spill in an allowance race on the undercard of the Zia Park Derby. He fractured his femur and four ribs, and suffered a punctured lung, according to his agent, Mike Kelly. Fuentes underwent surgery for the femur in El Paso, Texas.

“He said the operation went good and everything,” Kelly said. “He’s home healing.”

Fuentes had won the New Mexico Cup Classic Juvenile on Bully Boy the day prior to the spill. Fuentes has been a prominent rider in the Southwest, having won the Zia Park Derby in 2023 with Two Rivers Over and the Zia Park Oaks in 2024 with Valence.

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Fuentes was sidelined at this time a year ago and did not get back up until late August. A Go Fund Me page has been started to help with his expenses. Fuentes won his first career race March 27, 2018 at Sunland Park.

Kanojo getting break

Kanojo, who was scratched from the Zia Park Oaks after flipping in the starting gate, escaped with only superficial cuts, according to her trainer, Kevin Eikleberry.

“Pretty lucky, to be honest with you,” he said. “She’ll get some time off [for her], mentally and physically. She’ll be fine.”

Kanojo has won her last five starts by a combined margin of 30 lengths in a streak that included three restricted stakes. The Iowa-bred could see action again at the tail end of the Oaklawn Park meet before returning to Prairie Meadows, said Eikleberry.

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