Spill sidelines Carrasco for eight weeks, Rodriguez for five to 10 weeks

Two riders and a track security guard were sent to the hospital as the result of a nasty looking two-horse spill in the eighth race at Laurel Park on Sunday. But as bad as the accident was, it could have been a lot worse.

Victor Carrasco was aboard even-money favorite Stalk in the $16,000 maiden-claiming sprint. They took the lead entering the stretch and appeared to be headed to victory when Stalk broke down. Unclenedwhodrank, ridden by Guillermo Rodriguez, was behind Stalk and fell over him, apparently nicking Carrasco.

Unclenedwhodrank, who lost his bridle in the spill, quickly regained his feet and ran down the outer part of the track. An outrider was trying to catch him when Unclenedwhodrank made a right-hand turn into the gap to the paddock, striking security guard Robert Gayles, who was in the process of closing the paddock fence. Unclenedwhodrank was corralled in the paddock.

Stalk, trained by Phil Schoenthal, was euthanized due to his injuries, but Unclenedwhodrank does not appear to have been seriously injured, according to trainer Ali Rawles.

"He has some superficial bumps and bruises and is a little body sore," Rawles said. "We'll have to see how he comes out of this mentally."

Carrasco and Rodriguez were taken to Medstar Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore. Carrasco was released Sunday night, but Rodriguez was still there Tuesday. Gayles, who sustained a head laceration, was taken to Prince George's Hospital in Cheverly, Md. He was released Sunday evening.

Carrasco, a top rider on the Maryland Jockey Club circuit since he began riding in 2013, will be sidelined about eight weeks with a fractured shoulder blade, according to his agent, Tom Stift.

"The doctors told me the MRI showed this was the best case for this type of fracture," Stift said. "Victor actually had a partial hoof imprint on his back."

Carrasco, 24, has his left arm in a sling and is scheduled to see his doctor for a checkup May 1.

Rodriguez, who rides at Charles Town and Laurel, will be out five to 10 weeks after having surgery on his spleen Monday and hand surgery Tuesday. He also needed a few stitches on his head, just below the helmet line, according to his agent, J.D. Brown.

"Those boys had angels on their shoulders not to be hurt worse," Brown said.

He added that Rodriguez's doctors told him the spleen injury was not serious.

"His hand will take longer to heal," Brown said. "The injury is by his knuckle."

Rodriguez, 25, has been riding at Laurel only a few weeks.

"He did well at Charles Town last year," Brown said. "Trainers here like him. I had a bunch of calls for him."