Torres out after injury found

Jockey Francisco Torres, who is in the midst of a strong meet at Fair Grounds, will be out of action approximately four weeks after suffering a broken collarbone.

Torres was injured during training hours Thursday when the horse he had just guided through a five-furlong gate workout collapsed while she was pulling up from the work. The filly fell on Torres, who was taken to University Hospital in New Orleans, where a set of X-rays revealed no broken bones.

But with pain persisting on Friday, Torres went to East Jefferson Hospital to be examined again, and this time, radiographs showed a broke clavicle on the right side.

"Last night, I knew something wasn't right," said Torres, who entered this week the second-leading rider at the Fair Grounds meeting.

Torres has broken both clavicles in previous spills, and said he hopes to miss only about a month of racing. He said the injury was to be evaluated by an orthopedic specialist on Monday.

"It was one of the mishaps that unfortunately happen," said Torres. "But it could have been a whole lot worse."