Recovery going slow for St. Julien

Marlon St. Julien, the veteran jockey who was injured in a one-horse accident just after the start of a race May 19 at Prairie Meadows, remains in the intensive care unit at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, as he continues a slow recovery from a spinal cord injury.

St. Julien, who had surgery the day after the accident, has movement in his legs and shoulders but has struggled to regain motion in his lower arms, according to Robyn Dean, the wife of St. Julien’s agent, Bobby Dean.

Robyn Dean, who has regularly visited St. Julien in the hospital and kept close tabs on his condition, said St. Julien remains in good spirits and that he and his family are grateful for the outpouring of support from the racing community.

Dean said St. Julien has recovered from a case of pneumonia that set back his progress, and that he was fitted with a tracheostomy tube May 24 to assist with his breathing. St. Julien nevertheless could be discharged from Mercy Hospital later this week and moved to a rehabilitation clinic.

“He’s making progress every day, but this is not going to be a short race,” said Dean.

St. Julien, 46, is a native of Lafayette, La., whose riding career began in 1989 and has produced 2,461 winners.