Jockey Sanchez suffers broken ribs in Remington spill

Jockey Obed Sanchez remained in an Oklahoma City hospital on Thursday afternoon after suffering five broken ribs in Wednesday night’s fifth race at Remington Park, according to his agent, Travis Church.

Jockey David Cabrera, who went down in the same incident, avoided serious injury and will be off his mounts Thursday night due to soreness, said his agent, Jose Santos Jr.

The riders were injured when Cabrera’s mount, Dobbins G, appeared to clip heels and fell. Sanchez’s mount, Rockport Kat, who was advancing, went over the fallen runner and unseated Sanchez.

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Both horses crossed the finish line, according to a press release from Remington.

Sanchez on Thursday was at OU Medical Center, said Church.

“He’s doing okay,” Church said. “He’s got five broken ribs. It could have been worse. He has no punctured lungs or damaged organs. He might be released later today or tomorrow. They want to keep him and monitor him.”

Church said a timeline for Sanchez’s return has yet to be determined, but initial comments from medical officials suggested he might be out the rest of the year.

“Everybody’s best guess is that this is a 10-week type of injury,” said Church.

Sanchez’s wife arrived from the couple’s home in Tulsa on Wednesday night and plans are for the rider to rehab in Tulsa.

Cabrera has been cleared by doctors to ride, said Santos.

“He went today for a second opinion at a different hospital and was X-rayed again, had an MRI, amd a scan on his brain, and he was completely cleared of anything,” Santos said. “He had some soreness in his neck where he landed and he wanted to get the MRI. Yesterday, he only had X-rays.”

Cabrera took off his Thursday night mounts because of soreness, and Santos said when he’s no longer sore he will return to the saddle at Remington.

Cabrera is a multiple title winner at Remington.

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