Aqueduct: CAT scan reveals Dominguez has a skull fracture following Friday spill
January 19, 2013OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Jockey Ramon Dominguez suffered a fractured skull after being involved in a spill during the running of Friday's seventh race at Aqueduct, according to his agent Steve Rushing. Dominguez remained hospitalized in the intensive care unit at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition on Friday night.
It was unclear how long he would be hospitalized and when he would be able to ride again. Before the results of a CAT scan revealed the skull fracture, Dominguez had originally been diagnosed with a bruise over his right eye.
Dominguez was sitting behind horses aboard 4-5 favorite Convocation in Friday's seventh race. Coming to the top of the stretch, Convocation clipped heels with Sovereign Default, prompting Convocation to fall forward and hurling Dominguez hard to the inner dirt course.
A trailing horse, Straight Fax, jumped over Convocation, but it wasn't clear whether or not that horse clipped Dominguez.
Dominguez was hurriedly placed on a stretcher and into an ambulance and taken directly to Jamaica, the closest hospital to Aqueduct.
Convocation, who raced for Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole and who was claimed out of the race by David Jacobson, appeared to escape the incident unharmed.
Dominguez, who earlier in the day picked up career victory 4,984, is the two-time defending Eclipse Award winning rider. He was expected to receive his third straight Eclipse Award on Saturday night at an awards ceremony at Gulfstream Park.
In 2012, Dominguez set a North American earnings record with $25,582,252. He won 341 races from 1,398 mounts despite missing nearly two months because of a neck injury.