McCarron undergoes surgery, hopes to return by August

Steeplechase jockey Matt McCarron underwent surgery on Friday to repair a

broken left arm he suffered in the opening race at Saratoga on Wednesday. The

two-time Eclipse Award winner hopes to return in time to pilot reigning champion

steeplechaser HIRAPOUR (Ire) (Kahyasi) in the August 31 New York Turf Writers

Cup (NSA-G1).

"Right now, I'm devastated but this procedure, rather than putting the arm in

a full cast, gives me a chance to be back in time to ride Hirapour in the New

York Turf Writers," McCarron said. "I'm supposed to go back to Dr. (Richard)

Alfred on Monday and within a week's time could begin doing some minor physical

therapy."

McCarron sustained two fractures to his ulna bone when he was unseated from

The Next Man (Ire) (Fourstars Allstar) at the sixth hurdle in the 1ST race of

Saratoga's meet. Surgery was performed on Friday by Dr. Richard Alfred of the

Capital Region Orthopaedic Group at the Bone and Joint Center in Albany, New

York. The

sports medicine specialist, who was also responsible for mending the broken leg

that jockey Mike Luzzi suffered on the 2004 opening day at Saratoga, inserted a plate with eight screws into McCarron's

arm.

"I had been very fortunate for the first 13 years of my career but it seems

to be all catching up to me recently," said McCarron, who broke six ribs in a

spill on June 26 at Colonial Downs. "To get hurt on opening day at Saratoga, it

doesn't get much worse than that. It was a tough way to start the meet for the

sport, but there's not much you can do about it."

Jockey Chip Miller will be aboard Hirapour in the A.P. Smithwick Memorial on

August 8, McCarron said.