Medical Evaluation for Injured Geroux in Two Weeks
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Photo: Keeneland/Coady Photography
Florent Geroux
Jockey Florent Geroux, who broke his sternum in a training mishap Oct. 13 at Keeneland, received a positive prognosis from his doctor Oct. 16 and will have a follow-up appointment in two weeks that could determine when he can return to riding, agent Doug Bredar said. The timing of this upcoming medical evaluation, scheduled for the week of the Breeders' Cup Nov. 1-2, puts his participation in those races in question.
Prior to the injury, Bredar had Geroux booked to ride three horses in Breeders' Cup races at Santa Anita Park: Owendale in the Longines Classic (G1), Totally Boss in the Turf Sprint (G1T), and Acclimate in the Longines Turf (G1T). All three races are Nov. 2.
"He wants to try to ride. We're going to see if people will give us the benefit of the doubt," Bredar said.
Rusty Arnold, trainer of Totally Boss, said via text Wednesday that he would make a rider change from Geroux to Jose Ortiz for the Turf Sprint. Geroux rode the horse to victory in his previous start in the Runhappy Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T) Sept. 7 at Kentucky Downs.
Geroux's injury occurred after a horse he was breezing, 2019 Triple Bend Stakes (G2) winner Air Strike, lost his action and fell shortly after completing a half-mile workout workout in :50 2/5 Sunday morning. The rider and horse crashed toward the inner rail, and after walking uncomfortably away from the spill, Geroux was sent to the University of Kentucky Medical Center for initial treatment. Air Strike was not seriously injured.
The timeline for recovery from a broken sternum (breastbone) depends on the pain experienced and the severity of the break. Bredar said Geroux's break was minor.
Geroux, 33, was taken off his mounts Sunday and Oct. 16-18 at Keeneland. He entered Wednesday as the 12th-leading rider in North America by earnings in 2019, winning 132 races and his mounts making more than $10.1 million. He is a five-time Breeders' Cup-winning jockey who won the 2017 Classic with Gun Runner and the 2018 Longines Distaff (G1) aboard Monomoy Girl.