Louisiana Downs, Evangeline Downs riders doing well after spills

There were four riders involved in two frightening spills in Louisiana on Thursday, and all avoided serious injuries. The first incident happened at Louisiana Downs, when jockeys John Jacinto, Rudy Guerra, and Don Simington were thrown in a chain-reaction spill in the sixth race. Jacinto and Guerra were taken to Willis-Knighton Hospital in Shreveport, and Jacinto was found to have a broken left forearm, according to his agent, Richie Price.

Price said Jacinto underwent surgery Friday. Later the same afternoon, Price was awaiting word from doctors on the specifics of the procedure and further evaluation.

“I’m not sure how long he’s going to be out,” Price said Friday. “I know they did surgery and everything went well.”

Guerra, meanwhile, was treated and released Thursday night, and will be out a week with bruising in the lower portion of his right leg, according to his agent, Eric Low. Simington emerged from the incident without injury and was to ride as scheduled Friday, said his agent, Ron Ardoin.

“It was spooky,” Low said of the spill. “It looked worse than it was. But it’s never good.”

Guerra will be spending the week with his parents in Dallas, Low said.

Tyler Woodley, a 19-year-old apprentice, was injured at Evangeline Downs in Thursday night’s fifth race. He was thrown as his mount broke down, and an initial X-ray showed a possible hairline fracture to his left collarbone, said his agent, Harvey Lourd.

Lourd said Woodley came out to Evangeline on Friday morning to work horses but did not feel “quite right” and was to seek out further diagnostics. He said Woodley was to be off his mounts Friday night and again Saturday.

“He’s going to the doctor today to see if it’s actually broken,” Lourd said Friday.