Jockey Terrero out indefinitely after Golden Gate spill

Pedro Terrero, one of the leading riders in Northern California, is sidelined indefinitely after sustaining facial injuries in a spill at Golden Gate Fields on Oct. 23.

Terrero suffered a broken nose and cheekbone and lost teeth in the incident when Coolcross stepped on the rider’s face, according to his agent, Jay Robinson.

Coolcross clipped heels with a rival on the first turn on Oct. 23, unseating Terrero. The rider did not sustain any brain damage in the spill, but is scheduled to undergo surgery on Monday, Robinson said.

“I don’t know when he will ride again,” Robinson said on Friday. “It will be quite a while.”

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Terrero, who began riding in 2009, has won 787 races, and has thrived in the last few seasons. He has won a career-best 133 races this year.

This is the second time Terrero suffered serious injury in recent years. Terrero, 38, sustained a head injury in February 2019 that required brain surgery. He missed more than two years of riding while undergoing therapy and returned to win 90 races in 2021.

Terrero won the riding title at the Golden Gate autumn meeting in 2021. Earlier this year, Terrero finished second in the six-month winter-spring meeting at Golden Gate Fields, with 83 wins, four less than leader Evin Roman.

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