Lone Star cancels card after jockey express insurance concerns

Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, canceled Thursday night’s card after a meeting with jockeys in which the riders wanted assurance they would be able to see a doctor or specialist in the event of an injury.

Their concerns came about after jockey Carlos Montalvo was unable to see doctors or secure an appointment with a specialist in the wake of a July 4 spill in which his agent said he sustained facial fractures.

Montalvo was treated at a local hospital the night of the spill, but not by a doctor, Terry Meyocks, president and chief executive officer of the Jockeys’ Guild, said he was told by Montalvo. The rider had been unable to secure a specialist for further evaluation until Thursday.

Lone Star has an ontrack insurance policy, Meyocks said.

“The system has failed,” Meyocks said. “I’m not saying it’s Lone Star and I’m not saying it’s the insurance company. Management tried to help. The insurance company tried to help. The system has failed. Today things are very different than four or five years ago.”

Daily Racing Form placed calls to members of the Lone Star Park management team on Thursday night, but those calls were not immediately returned. The board of stewards at the track did not have a reason for the cancellation shortly after it was made, which was about a half-hour before post time Thursday.

It’s unclear whether the situation will lead to further cancellations for Lone Star, which races through July 24. The track has four stakes worth $750,000 on Saturday and an additional five stakes slated for Sunday.

“Hopefully, we can come up with some answers tonight and tomorrow,” Meyocks said Thursday. “The jocks want to ride, but at the same time they are very concerned, and to be honest with you, nervous. They want to make sure there will be proper care, to be able to be seen by doctors and specialists.

“We appreciate what Lone Star is trying to do,” he added, noting a representative of the track brought Montalvo back to the emergency room when he needed further attention in the days following the spill.

Montalvo had been turned down by about 20 specialists, and Meyocks speculated one reason is that some doctor’s offices think the insurance policy is workmen's compensation. He said that has been an issue in other jurisdictions.

Meyocks said back in the 1990s, jockey Jerry Bailey and the New York Racing Association worked to secure specialists for use by jockeys and other members of the racing community. He said in recent times, the Jockeys’ Guild has been talking with officials from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, or HISA, about setting up a network of trauma centers and specialists across the country that would cater to riders.

“Basically, it needs to be done,” Meyocks said. “It should be everywhere in the country. We’ve been talking to HISA about it. We need to basically reinvent the wheel.”

Lone Star has a scheduled first post of 6:35 p.m. Central on Friday night and runs during the daytime on Saturdays and Sundays.