Chavez out at least five months after spill

by Brisnet.com

Jockey Jorge Chavez, who was unseated during the running of the ninth race at

Aqueduct on Sunday, was diagnosed at North Shore University Hospital with a left

clavicle fracture, five left rib fractures, and fractures of the L1 and L2

vertebrae, according to the NYRA Jockey Advocate. He will be sidelined at least

five months, said his agent, David Grace.

"He's doing OK," Grace said. "He broke his collar bone and some ribs and

fractured the vertebrae and they kept him overnight last night. He was in good

spirits."

Grace added that Chavez could be released from the hospital on Monday.

In Sunday's race, a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden contest for New York-bred fillies

and mares, Chavez's mount, Silver Mast, fell turning for home and dropped her

rider. The three-year-old daughter of Mizzen Mast rolled over Chavez before

getting to her feet and did not appear to be injured in the incident.

Chavez, a 50-year-old native of Peru, was the leading rider on the NYRA

circuit from 1994-1999 and winner of the 1999 Eclipse Award as the nation's

Outstanding Jockey. Winner of the 2001 Kentucky Derby aboard Monarchos, Chavez

also lists two Breeders' Cup victories on his resume -- the 1999 Distaff aboard

Beautiful Pleasure and the 1999 Sprint aboard Artax. With 4,526 victories in

North America, he is ranked 37th on the career win list according to statistics

provided by Equibase. Chavez's record on the NYRA circuit in 2011 is 22-25-38

from 297 starts, including an overnight stakes victory aboard Spa City Princess

last February at Aqueduct.