Jara injured in Wednesday spill

Apprentice jockey Alexandra Jara remained hospitalized Thursday due to injuries suffered in a spill Wednesday at Aqueduct.

Jara broke her collarbone and had some bleeding on her spleen, according to her brother, Fernando Jara, also a rider on this circuit. She also had a bruise on her hip.

Fernando Jara said the bleeding on Alexandra Jara’s spleen had subsided to the point where doctors were confident “she’s going to be fine.”

Fernando Jara said doctors wanted to conduct more tests on his sister before releasing her.

Alexandra Jara was injured when her mount, Princes On Thelake, fatally broke down at the quarter pole of Wednesday’s fifth race. Mr Rico Is Valid fell over Princes On Thelake, unseating Manuel Franco, who was OK and came back to win the next race. Mr Rico Is Valid was sore but otherwise uninjured.

** Cornelio Velasquez, the leading rider at the fall meet who won three races on Wednesday’s opening inner-track card, will start a seven-day suspension Saturday for a careless-riding incident dating to Sept. 20 at Belmont. Velasquez dropped his initial appeal of that suspension.

** NYRA, in conjunction with the U.S. Marines, will host its annual Toys for Tots campaign this weekend. Fans can drop off a new, unwrapped toy at the Aqueduct main clubhouse or outside the Turf and Field Club.

Horse owner Harold Lerner has pledged a $10,000 donation to the campaign, while trainer Gary Contessa has pledged to donate a percentage of what his horses running this weekend earn.