TurfPublicists: JOCKEY JASON GRACIA SHOWING SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Contact: Dan Silver

JOCKEY JASON GRACIA SHOWING SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – According to the jockey advocate of The New York Racing Association, Inc., jockey Jason Gracia is doing very well and has shown significant improvement over the past few days. With the exception of a single IV line, all of the tubes that he has needed since being hospitalized after a spill at Aqueduct Racetrack last month have been removed.

Late yesterday, Gracia was transferred to North Shore Medical Center from Jamaica Hospital.

Gracia was involved in an accident in the third race at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday, November 27. According to Gracia’s agent, Jorge Velasquez, he had suffered broken ribs, a broken collarbone, and a hairline fracture of his neck in the spill.

Jockey Jose Bermudez, also involved in the spill, sustained bruised ribs.

In the race, a New York state-bred maiden special weight going 1 1/16 miles on the turf, Ryan and Jack (#5), trained by Pat Kelly, stumbled and fell on the far turn, causing Gracia, 28, to land on the turf. October Dreams (#2), trained by Cleveland Johnson, collided with Ryan and Jack as he was on the ground, unseating Bermudez, 41.

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