Velasquez Injured, Two Horses Die at Aqueduct
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Prominent jockey Cornelio Velasquez was taken to a hospital and two horses died from injuries sustained in a midstretch accident in the eighth race over the inner track at Aqueduct Racetrack Dec 5.
Velasquez was transported from the track by ambulance Friday to North Shore University Hospital for an evaluation after complaining of shoulder pain following the $59,000 allowance/optional claiming race at six furlongs. He was unseated when his mount, Laila's Jazz, fell as the result of a spill involving two other horses, but the jockey apparently escaped a more serious injury.
Quick Money, ridden by Angel Serpa, clipped the heels of American Creed in midstretch and went down in the six-furlong optional claiming race. Laila's Jazz stumbled over that fallen horse. In the chain reaction, Half Nelson fell over Laila's Jazz, dislodging jockey Israel Rodriguez. Quick Money, the 5-2 favorite, succumbed to neck trauma, and Half Nelson was later euthanized after sustaining a fractured shoulder.
Serpa and Rodriguez were apparently uninjured.
Original third-place finisher Sol the Freud was disqualified and placed sixth for impeding Quick Money in tandem with American Creed, according to the Equibase chart of the race.
Velasquez has ridden 177 winners this season and his mounts have earned more than $1.4 million. He is ranked 11th nationally in purse earnings this year.