Nakatani, Franco Hospitalized After Del Mar Spill

Two jockeys were hospitalized and another was suspended after a multiple-horse spill during the final race at Del Mar Aug. 4.

The most seriously injured jockey was Corey Nakatani, who avoided life-threatening injury after his mount, Irish Spring, clipped heels with Aussie Fox at the top of the stretch during the one-mile turf race for maiden claimers. The stewards at Del Mar said Irish Spring was seriously injured and euthanized after the incident.

Nakatani's son and agent, Matt Nakatani, said the rider has cervical stenosis and a herniated disk that is pressing against his spinal cord, but he is scheduled to be released from the hospital in the afternoon Aug. 5.

"He's OK as far as he can move and everything—he can walk right now—but we're being precautionary and on the safety side," Matt Nakatani said. "They're releasing him this afternoon, and we're going back up to (Los Angeles) to see a specialist.

"He thinks he's riding in two weeks. He was trying to ride the stakes today," Matt Nakatani added, with a somewhat relieved laugh. "He's in good spirits, though. We're going to get him back home and let him rest. But that was the scariest thing I've ever seen. I mean, it's my dad out there, and watching it live, I just took off down there—nobody's telling you anything. I just ran onto the turf course."

Geovanni Franco, whose mount Bitter Ring Home fell over Irish Spring, was also hospitalized Saturday but was released, worked out horses in the morning Sunday, and was riding in races on Del Mar's Sunday card. Agent James Giannone said the rider has a bone bruise in his foot but is otherwise in good condition.

Aussie Fox, who was ridden by apprentice jockey Assael Espinoza and finished third in the race, was disqualified to last for interference by the Del Mar stewards. On Sunday morning, the stewards suspended Espinoza for 10 racing days.

"Coming off the turn, (Espinoza) was outside of Nakatani's horse and took his path without signification clearance, which caused them to clip heels," said steward Kim Sawyer. "It wasn't willful, but it was careless."

Sawyer said Espinoza, a nephew of Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza, made his case Sunday morning that Aussie Fox shied when he "uncocked" his whip, which led to the horse drifting in. Sawyer also said the result of the incident—two jockeys injured and a horse deceased—likely had an impact on the length of the suspension.

"I (think the result) did (affect the severity of the sanction)," Sawyer said. "I can only speak for myself, but (steward John) Herbuveaux gave a good example this morning. If you have a fender bender, you're going to have lighter sanctions than if you have a crash and drive someone off the road. His action caused such a dramatic chain reaction."

The suspension is scheduled to begin Aug. 12 and continue through Aug. 25, and Sawyer said Espinoza's agent, Brian Beach, asked how much time he had to file an appeal. Beach was unavailable for comment Sunday.

Both Matt Nakatani and Giannone said Espinoza visited the hospital Saturday and Sunday to check on the injured jockeys.

"He showed some class there," Giannone said. "He was pretty upset, but he's going to have a lot of days to sit down and think about it. He's a good kid. Those bug boys have to learn, you just don't want them to learn this way."