Jockey Tomas Mejia shot Andrez Conquist after riding 158-1 to victory at Monmouth Park in 2020
Jockeys Tomas Mejia and Heriberto Figueroa were not seriously injured in the accident in Sunday’s fifth race at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey. Both drivers were discharged from a local hospital that night after an investigation.
One of the two horses involved, Rose for a Saint, suffered only minor scratches after falling on the turf, while the other, Service With Honor, suffered a knee injury that is likely to end his racing career.
Mejia was aboard Service With Honor among horses, lapping the final turn of the 1 1/16 mile turf competition when the horse and rider suddenly went down after cutting their heels. Figueroa and Rose for a Saint couldn’t avoid Service With Honor and fell too.
Robert Tuccille, Mejia’s agent, said the 25-year-old was “very sore,” but no fractures or internal injuries were found on a series of CT scans and X-rays. “It looked like a horse stung him after he went down,” said Tuccille. “He was conscious and heavily medicated.”
Tuccille said Mejia will need medical clearance but believes he could be back riding within a week.
Figueroa agent John Salamone said the driver was taking an anti-inflammatory drug for body pain but did not suffer from a concussion, fracture or internal injury. Figueroa removed his horses at Colonial Downs on Monday but will be riding at Monmouth on Friday, Salamone said.
Salamone said he was visiting Rose for a saint at trainer Skip Einhorn’s stable and the horse only had minor scratches. Tuccille said coach Michael Dini was in the hospital on Sunday night to check on Mejia’s condition and said Service With Honor would likely be retired from racing with a knee injury but will be able to pursue a second career.
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