Laurel: Apprentice rider Battula out for extended period with back injury

Apprentice rider Aparna Battula, 24, is expected to miss six to eight weeks after sustaining a compression fracture in her back in a spill during Friday's fourth race at Laurel Park.

Battula was injured when her mount, Just Once, clipped heels with Basketball Belle near the quarter pole and the jockey was thrown to the ground.

Battula has a college degree in biotechnology and attended Chris McCarron's North American Racing Academy and won five races in south Florida this past spring before relocating to Delaware Park in June. She has 18 wins from 190 mounts with earnings of $326,746.

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