Prat Remains Hospitalized With Back Injury

Update (4 p.m. EDT): Flavien Prat's agent, Derek Lawson, said neurosurgeon Dr. Azadeh Farin examined the jockey and found no evidence of paralysis. Prat has relatively minor cracks in four vertebrae and one that is more serious, and will require a body brace for three months, but the injuries will not require surgery. Although Lawson is optimistic Prat will get back to riding, when that will happen is unknown. "We're not thinking about riding right now," Lawson said. "The good news is that his spine did what it was supposed to do. It protected his spinal cord."

The morning after a fall at Los Alamitos Race Course caused multiple fractures in his back, jockey Flavien Prat remains in the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center's intensive care unit.



Agent Derek Lawson said Sept. 18 that the 23-year-old rider is moving his extremities, but has been fitted with a neck brace and has a chest tube inserted to treat a punctured lung. Lawson also said the rider has an MRI scheduled for Friday and doctors are still unsure whether he will require surgery.



"It's 50-50 on whether he'll need surgery or heal naturally, but they haven't done an MRI yet," Lawson said. "Overall, he's obviously hurt and he's broken his back, but it's probably recoverable. The good news is that he's moving his extremities."



Prat was injured Sept. 17 when his mount, Discreetlyhumorme, stumbled and fell entering the turn of a five-furlong maiden special weight event at Los Alamitos.



BALAN: Jockeys Hospitalized After Los Al Spill



The fallen horse collided with stablemate Lucky Snow (both are trained by Mark Glatt), and also unseated jockey Santiago Gonzalez. Both riders were transported to Long Beach Memorial and Gonzalez was released that evening with an ankle injury.