Two jockeys taken to hospital after 3-horse spill at Aqueduct

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Jockeys Jorge Vargas Jr. and Dylan Davis were taken to a local hospital to be evaluated for injuries as the result of a three-horse spill in the final race Saturday at Aqueduct.

According to two jockeys who spoke to the riders, Vargas was complaining of back pain while Davis was complaining of pain in his collarbone. Nik Juarez, a third rider involved in the spill, escaped injury.

Vargas was aboard Kiss Me Dave, a first-time starter in the race for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies who went down entering the far turn of the six-furlong race. Vargas was unseated and was taken off on a backboard and placed in an ambulance and eventually taken to the hospital.

Kiss Me Dave died without being euthanized, according to the New York Racing Association.

Davis was riding Tellaperfecttale, who fell over Kiss Me Dave. Davis was sitting up for several minutes before ultimately being taken off on a backboard.

Tellaperfecttale jogged back to the paddock with an outrider and, upon initial inspection, seemed to be fine, according to a Tweet from Maggie Wolfendale, a NYRA analyst and the wife of Tom Morley, the trainer of Tellaperfecttale.

Nik Juarez was aboard Maybe I Know, who tried to avoid the spill and in doing so made an abrupt move, unseating Juarez, who got up quickly. Maybe I Know never went down and actually completed the race riderless before being caught by an outrider. Juarez escaped injury.

Davis, who won two races earlier on the card, is the fourth-leading rider at the meet with 44 victories. Vargas, who missed Friday’s card due to illness, returned Saturday and won one race, his 28th victory of the meet.

Call Me Dave is the fifth racing-related fatality of the winter meet.