Tuesday, July 28, 2009

News mostly good from Colonial spill

A source at Colonial Downs confirmed this morning that -- other than the horse whose breakdown started a five-horse, five-rider spill Monday night at the track -- everyone, human and animal, seems to come out of the wreck OK.

Darrell Wood, director of marketing at the New Kent, Va., racetrack, said in a response to an e-mailed inquiry that, "the riders came out okay considering."

Christian J. Olmo was rider of Win the Appeal, a 4-year-old maiden gelding who broke down at the three-eighths pole of the sixth race, causing the pileup of horses behind. Olmo, according to Wood, was transported to Medical College of Virginia after the accident.

"He was conscious and there were no neurological issues as of last night," Wood reported this morning. "They were looking at his arm."

Wood expected another update on Olmo later today.

Horses Native's ReturnPapa ImSaratoga Gem and Junk Yard Jack all were unable to avoid the downed horse, unseating their riders in the process. Their four jockeys -- Josean G. Ramirez, Andria Terrill, Eric Vera Rodriguez and Christopher VanHassel-- "remained at the track but did not race again in the final four races last night," Wood confirmed. VanHassel, Terrill and Ramirez all took off mounts, seven total, for the remainder of the night. Rodriguez wasn't scheduled to ride again.

"The other four horses that got loose came out okay," Wood reports.

Even-money favorite Bullet Dodger, who had the lead from the gate, won the race.

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