Best wishes for a speedy recovery to John Velazquez, who has returned home after being hospitalized in Louisville, Ky., with a broken right collarbone and bruised kidney suffered in an ugly spill Sat. night at Churchill Downs.
Velazquez will consult with doctors at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City regarding future treatment for the collarbone. The kidney is expected to heal on its own. No estimate yet on when he’ll return to the saddle, with opening day of the Saratoga meet — during which Velazquez will be inducted in the Racing Hall of Fame — just four weeks away.
Johnny V, who certainly hopes to be back in time to ride Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags in the Aug. 25 Travers, has won five riding titles at the Old Spa, including the last two summers, and is just 39 wins away from surpassing Jerry Bailey as the winningest rider of all-time at Saratoga.
Track was fast yesterday, turf firm on a sultry afternoon when the heat index soared past the 100 mark. The first and third races, with a total of just nine horses running, were worth combined purses of $150,000. By contrast, the average daily purses for all races (except stakes) at Churchill Downs for the spring-summer meet run about $340,000.
SIXTH RACE: Fitting that on a such a hot day, they scorched the inner turf course in this sprint. Elusive Story, 34-1 under Junior Alvarado subbing for Kent Desormeaux, gunned past 2-1 Strong Impact to sizzle the first quarter in :21.32, then Strong Impact, Javier Castellano up, came through inside to take command turning for home, the half in a blazing :43.79. Down the stretch, One Note Samba, favored at 8-5 in his first start since Nov. 30 for Eddie Kenneally, swung out to go after Strong Impact, the five furlongs run in a blistering :55.26. Pulling well clear of the rest of the field, those two dueled through the final furlong, with One Note Samba forging ahead in the final strides, the six furlongs run in a boiling 1:07.09, just 22/100ths of a second off the course record.
SEVENTH RACE: Bigger Is Bettor, 8-1, was racing in traffic turning for home when he clipped heels and stumbled badly, unseating Eddie Castro, who hit the ground hard but was lucky not to be clipped by the trailing horses. Castro bounced right back up and was cleared to ride by first aid.
EIGHTH RACE: Here’s a horse to watch in some of the long-distance grass stakes this summer like the Sword Dancer or Arlington Million. Going 1 1/4 miles over the inner turf, while 5-2 Change of Command shook loose on the lead under Javier Castellano, the Japanese-bred 4-year-old colt Barocci — making his second U.S. start for Christophe Clement after being Group stakes-placed last year in France — was trying to yank Julien Leparoux’s arms out of their sockets as he hugged the hedge down the backside, being forced to steady a couple of times. When they hit the stretch, Barocci came off the fence, collared Change of Command in the final furlong and went right on by.
NINTH RACE: Going a mile on the Widener course, 3-5 favorite Rangey, Alan Garcia up, pressed the pace set by 23-1 Vicariouslyutopian, took the lead on the far turn, then was confronted by 6-1 Sup A’ Fleet rallying to his outside turning for home. In a battle through the stretch, Rangey turned back that challenge. But he was no match for 7-1 Suspicious U, who split horses in mid-stretch under Corey Nakatani, then dived down inside and ran past Rangey in the late going.
PICK SIX
Winning numbers:
5-4-2-9-9-5
Winners paid $23,687
Cns. (5of6) paid $143.50
No carryover
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John Velazquez, Velazquez, Javier Castellano, Churchill Downs, Eddie Castro, the Hospital for Special Surgery, Racing Hall of Fame, Kent Desormeaux
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