Montalvo sustains facial fractures in spill

Jockey Carlos Montalvo sustained minor facial fractures in a two-horse spill Monday at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, and was released from a local hospital about 2 a.m. Tuesday, according to his agent, Bradley White.

Jockey Ry Eikleberry, who also went down in the fourth-race spill, returned to ride the remainder of the card and was in good condition Tuesday, according to his agent, Jose Santos Jr. Eikleberry is set to ride this week, said Santos, with racing at Lone Star resuming Friday.

Both horses involved Monday had body soreness, but were otherwise in good order, their trainers, Karl Broberg and Joseph Smith, said Tuesday.

Montalvo was thrown when his mount, Bling’s Bellwether, appeared to clip heels in the stretch. He was racing along the inside and Oh Snap, under Eikleberry, fell over Bling’s Bellwether in a chain-reaction incident.

White said Montalvo also received stitches over an eye.

“Aside from that, from what we know now, he dodged any major injuries,” White said. “He’s going to see a specialist about his face in the next day or two, when the swelling goes down.”

White said as of now, he could not estimate a timeline for Montalvo’s return.

“Last night they told us he probably wouldn’t need any surgery,” White said.

Lone Star races through July 24. From there, Montalvo will be based at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, White said.

The fourth race was a $7,500 conditioned claiming sprint over five furlongs for 3-year-olds and up bred in Texas.