Jockey Tomas Mejia after riding 158-1 shot Andrez Conquist to victory at Monmouth Park in 2020
Jockeys Tomas Mejia and Heriberto Figueroa did not suffer any serious injuries in Sunday’s fifth-race accident at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., and both riders were released that night from a local hospital after being evaluated.
One of the two horses involved, Rose for a Saint, sustained only minor scrapes after falling onto the turf, while the other, Service With Honor, sustained a knee injury that will likely end his racing career.
Mejia was between horses aboard Service With Honor rounding the far turn of the 1 1/16 mile grass contest when horse and rider suddenly went down after clipping heels. Figueroa and Rose for a Saint were unable to avoid Service With Honor and also fell.
Robert Tuccille, agent for Mejia, said the 25-year-old is “very sore” but no fractures or internal injuries were found in a series of CT scans and X-rays. “It looked like maybe a horse nicked him after he went down,” Tuccille said. “He was in and out of consciousness and heavily medicated.”
Tuccille said Mejia will need medical clearance but anticipates that he could be back riding within a week.
John Salamone, agent for Figueroa, said the rider is taking an anti-inflammatory for some body soreness but did not suffer a concussion, fractures or internal injuries. Figueroa took off his mounts at Colonial Downs on Monday but will ride at Monmouth on Friday, Salamone said.
Salamone said he visited Rose for a Saint at trainer Skip Einhorn’s barn and the horse had only minor scrapes. Tuccille said trainer Michael Dini was at the hospital Sunday night to check on the condition of Mejia and said Service With Honor will likely be retired from racing because of an injury to his knee but will be able to go on to a second career.
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