Pedroza Breaks Fibula in Gate Incident at Fair Grounds

Jockey Marcelino Pedroza Jr., injured in a starting gate mishap Jan. 19 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, "will need some time off" after breaking a fibula in one of his legs, the rider tweeted.

The fibula is the outer and smaller of the two bones between the knee and the ankle.

Pedroza, a native of Panama, started his North American riding career in 2010 and has enjoyed considerable success at Fair Grounds and Horseshoe Indianapolis, formerly known as Indiana Grand. He is a three-time leading rider in Indiana and earned his first graded stakes win at Fair Grounds aboard Captivating Moon  in the 2021 Fair Grounds Stakes (G3T). He just missed winning the 2022 riding title at Horseshoe Indianapolis when Joseph Ramos finished one victory ahead of him.

Pedroza had his lone mount in the Kentucky Derby (G1) in 2021, crossing the wire in fifth place aboard O Besos . The horse was later elevated to fourth upon the disqualification of Medina Spirit  for a medication violation.

He has ridden 1,404 winners from 10,077 rides, with his mounts making more than $38.3 million.

Through racing on Thursday, the rider was tied for eighth in the standings at the current Fair Grounds meet with 13 victories. Preparing to pilot Free Love  in Thursday's sixth race there, Pedroza was injured in a gate incident that resulted in the scratches of his mount and another horse, Ain't Broke .

Daily Racing Form initially reported Pedroza's injury.