Gomez thrown from mount at Churchill

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Jockey Garrett Gomez escaped serious injury Thursday after being thrown to the Churchill Downs turf in a sixth-race spill when his mount, Indy Bouquet, broke down early on the second turn of the one-mile race.

Gomez was immobilized by track medical personnel and transported to Norton Audubon Hospital in Louisville, where a report, coming from agent Ron Anderson an hour after the spill, was positive.

"I think he's dodged a bullet," Anderson said. "He's a little sore in his [right] shoulder."

X-rays were negative for fractures and Gomez was released by the hospital at approximately 4:30 p.m., Anderson said. The agent told track publicity that Gomez plans to ride Friday.

Gomez, a two-time Eclipse Award winning rider, has mounts in four of the six Breeders' Cup races at Churchill Downs on Friday, and four of eight on Saturday, including Blame in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Indy Bouquet, 3-year-old A. P. Indy filly owned by WinStar Farm and trained by Shannon Ritter, was racing near the back of the pack when she fell and tossed Gomez after breaking down. Ritter said the filly shattered her left front cannon bone and was euthanized.