Northlands Park: Perez sidelined following Friday night spill

Jockey Fernando Perez will be out for at least two weeks due to injures he suffered when J J’s Wander, a horse he was riding in the third race at Northlands Park on Friday night, broke down going into the first turn.

Perez hit the ground hard when he came off J J’s Wander, and according to his agent, Bob Fowlis, he “cracked a couple of ribs.” The injury will cost Perez the mount on Smart Promotion, who is undefeated in three starts, in the Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands on Saturday, Aug. 17.

Rico Walcott and Craig Wonnacott came off their mounts while trying to avoid the fallen horse, but Wonnacott wasn’t hurt and rode the rest of the card. Walcott took off his mounts, complaining of a sore shoulder, but X-rays confirmed that nothing was broken.

“It looks like he just bruised his shoulder,” said Fowlis, who also is Walcott’s agent. “He might book off his mounts [Saturday], but I’m pretty sure he’ll ride Monday.”