McAnally ready to return to barn after fall

DEL MAR, Calif. – Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally, who has spent 60 straight summers at Del Mar, was eager to get back to work after being released from the hospital late Monday following a fall at a fundraiser Sunday night. He was kept overnight at Scripps Encinitas Hospital for observation.

McAnally, 85, said a troublesome knee was giving him great pain Sunday night, and it buckled during the dinner’s cocktail hour. He struck his head, but a pair of CT scans showed no issues. He said pain medication for the knee made him comfortable. He took Tuesday off from work but was hoping to be back as soon as possible.

“It’s not a job for me,” McAnally said. “I love it. It’s my life.”