Surgeons repair Sheldon Russell's damaged lung
Injured jockey Sheldon Russell’s surgery on Thursday turned out to be more involved than hoped for, according to his agent Marty Leonard.
The 3 1/2-hour surgery at Sinai Hospital near Pimlico revealed one of Russell’s lungs was pierced in three locations by ribs he fractured during the spill. The surgeons removed a section of the lung, and then stapled the lung closed. About 350 milliliters of blood was drained from his lung during the surgery and the doctors inserted a chest tube to keep liquid from building up in the lung.
According to Leonard, Russell returned to his hospital room and was resting.
Russell was injured in last Saturday’s fifth race, a five-furlong turf race for $20,000 claiming horses. He was running near the back of the pack nearing the turn when a horse along the inside, S S Skittles, lugged out, forcing Who Dat Boy into Russell’s mount Political Farce. Russell’s mount appeared to clip heels and fell.
Russell, 27, was the leading rider at the Laurel Park winter/spring meet, which concluded March 29, and is currently fourth in the Pimlico standings. He won his 1,000th career race on March 7.