Paco Lopez sidelined with broken thumb

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Paco Lopez will be sidelined four to six weeks due to a broken thumb suffered in a riding mishap Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Lopez was thrown from his mount, Fluent in Sarcasm, shortly after the start of Saturday’s ninth race on the turf. Lopez returned to the jockey quarters under his own power, complaining of a swollen thumb. Originally, X-rays of the injury proved negative, although upon further examination Lopez was diagnosed Monday with a fracture on the base of his thumb.

“He’ll have surgery later this afternoon [Tuesday] and could be out from four to six weeks,” Lopez’s agent, Corey Moran, said.

Lopez put his name in the Gulfstream Park record book after riding seven winners on the March 21 card, becoming only the fourth rider in track history to accomplish that feat. Lopez is currently fourth in total wins, with 79, and eighth in money won, with nearly $3 million in earnings, among all riders nationwide. He finished third in the standings behind Irad Ortiz Jr. and Luis Saez with 96 victories during Gulfstream Park’s 2019-20 Championship meet.

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