Santos out with arm fracture until late August

ELMONT, N.Y. - Jockey Jose Santos, the regular rider of 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide, will miss at least the first half of the Saratoga meet due to a hairline fracture of his right arm.

Santos was injured Friday at Belmont Park when he was thrown from his mount, Lauren's Charm, in the paddock before the fourth race. Santos, 43, was taken to a local hospital, where he was X-rayed and released without the fracture being found. Santos felt enough pain Friday night to return to the hospital, where further X-rays revealed the fracture. The initial X-ray may have been inhibited by a metal plate in Santos's arm from a previous injury.

Santos was given the option of riding with a brace, but there was risk of further damage if he got into another spill.

"I'd rather give it the time and get it fixed and go on 100 percent," Santos said.

Mike Sellitto, Santos's agent, said he hopes Santos could be back riding by Aug. 20, midway through the fourth week of the meet and two days before Funny Cide could run in the Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap.

Santos is expected to see his doctor again on Tuesday.

Santos was the fifth leading rider at the Belmont spring-summer meet, with 37 wins from 268 mounts. For the year, Santos has 93 winners from 648 mounts and purse earnings of $4.4 million.

* Jockey Richard Migliore took off his mounts on Saturday due to the flu.

Large fields for Saratoga opener

Full fields abound for Wednesday's opening-day card at Saratoga, including 11 juvenile fillies entered for the Grade 2, $150,000 Schuylerville Stakes. A total of 120 horses were carded, with also-eligibles in five of the 10 races.

Broadway Gold, winner of the Astoria Stakes, and Classic Elegance, winner of the Grade 3 Debutante at Churchill last out, head the biggest Schuylerville field since 1996.

Broadway Gold, a daughter of Seeking the Gold, won her maiden by 11 lengths before taking the Astoria by three lengths on June 27. Broadway Gold, trained by Stanley Hough, will be ridden by Jerry Bailey from post 6.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas will seek his sixth Schuylerville victory when he saddles Classic Elegance. A daughter of Carson City, Classic Elegance won her maiden by 7 1/4 lengths at Keeneland before finishing third behind the undefeated Lunarpal when facing males in the Three Chimneys Juvenile on Derby Day. She came back to beat stablemate Paragon Queen by one length in the Debutante. Pat Day rides from the rail.

Darn That Girl won her maiden by 4 3/4 lengths on July 10 after finishing second behind Dream Time in one of the strongest maiden races at the Belmont meet. She will have to overcome post 11, however.

Dressed for Succes, Wild Chick, and Partners Due are other notables entered in the six-furlong Schuylerville.

Gallagher no longer vice president at NYRA

Jim Gallagher has been relieved of his duties as vice president of regulatory compliance for the New York Racing Association. Track officials termed it a mutual decision. Budgetary concerns on NYRA's part played a role in the decision, Gallagher said.

Gallagher, 50, joined NYRA as vice president of parimutuel operations in March 2002. He was later named vice president of regulatory compliance. Before joining NYRA, Gallagher worked 22 years for the New York State Racing and Wagering Board and three years for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. At the wagering board, Gallagher served as the chief of racing operations. At the NTRA, Gallagher served as the executive director of the Task Force on Racing Integrity and Drug Testing Standards.

Gallagher said he hopes to get another position in racing and had no ill will toward NYRA.

"I've been involved in horse racing 27 years now," Gallagher said. "It's something I know. I look forward to whatever opportunities are out there.

"I wish NYRA nothing but a lot of good luck, believe me. I've had a lot of good experiences with New York racing."