Jockeys Figueroa, Mejia injured in spill at Monmouth

Jockeys Heriberto Figueroa and Tomas Mejia were injured in a spill on the Monmouth grass course Sunday.

Figueroa, who reportedly suffered a concussion, was to be released from Monmouth Medical Center early Sunday evening, according to trainer Mike Dini, whose horse, Service With Honor, was part of the accident and who was at the hospital.

Figueroa was riding Rose For a Saint, who struck Service With Honor after the latter, ridden by Tomas Mejia, appeared to clip heels with One More Nightcap approaching the quarter pole in Sunday’s fifth race. Mejia, riding in tight quarters and thrown forward, may have been hit by a horse to the outside before Rose For a Saint ran into fallen Service With Honor, and Mejia’s injuries were more serious.

Mejia, 25, was conscious and alert Sunday evening, according to his agent of two years, Robert Tuccille. Mejia also suffered a concussion, has a large bruise on his face, and “is in a lot of pain,” but a CAT scan performed on Mejia revealed no problems, Tuccille said. Results of X-rays hadn’t yet been relayed to Mejia or those with him at the hospital.

Rose For a Saint sprang up after falling and ran through the homestretch. Service With Honor initially looked okay, Dini said, but soon showed lameness and was diagnosed with a career-ending knee injury, according to Dini, who said that the horse would recover to be useful in some capacity.