Jockey Oriana Rossi Undergoes Surgery

Jockey Oriana Rossi had surgery July 23 after sustaining fractures to her back and neck in a spill at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino July 22, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported.

Rossi's injuries were described as "catastrophic." She underwent surgery at Indiana University Healthcare Methodist in Indianapolis to stabilize and determine the extent of the injuries.

Jockey agent and close friend Bones Wirth, who doesn't represent Rossi but was at the hospital along with several other agents, said Rossi was able to move her arms but appeared to be paralyzed from the chest down.

"It doesn't look good," Wirth told the Courier-Journal. "Keep our fingers crossed, but they say she's got 5% chance of not being paralyzed. ... She's got multiple, multiple breaks in her back. The T-6 is the main one. Hopefully there's a clot behind the T-6 vertebra and if they can get that removed, it might help."

Rossi, aboard 5-year-old gelding Top Priority in the fifth race at Indiana Grand July 22, was involved in a two-horse spill in the starter allowance contest.

Jockey Alex Contreras, riding Divine Thunder, was unseated when his mount clipped heels, and Top Priority fell over the fallen horse, unseating Rossi. Jockey Francisco Torres was also injured when his mount, My Prize Now, collided with the fallen Divine Thunder but did not go down.

All three were transported to Major Hospital in Shelbyville, Ind. Contreras sustained fractures in his back and had surgery but has been released from the hospital. Torres was also released.

According to a July 24 news release from Indiana Grand, all three horses involved "were not injured and returned to their stables."