Jockeys Santana, Osorio injured in spill

Jockeys Ricardo Santana Jr. and Didiel Osorio were released from a local hospital late Thursday afternoon after both were injured hours earlier in the second race at Oaklawn Park.

Osorio injured his back when his mount, Sea of Change, “fell over a stricken rival” on the turn of the six- furlong race for older $ 6,250 claimers, according to the official chart footnotes.

The jockey’s agent, Joe Santos, said Osorio fractured his T5 and T7 vertebrae after being unseated. Prelimary indications were that he will miss six to eight weeks. Osorio, 22, will be examined again Monday, Santos told Oaklawn officials.

“He says thank you to all who have asked and prayed for him and promised to be back stronger and better,” Santos said in a text message.

Santana, Oaklawn’s fourtime defending jockey champion and current leader, suffered a separated shoulder, said his agent, Ruben Munoz. Santana, 24, took off his mounts Friday and was scheduled to have an MRI.

Santana’s mount, Lawyer Daggett, “clipped heels,” according to the chart footnotes, unseating the rider.

Both jockeys were transported by ambulance to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs after the spill, said an Oaklawn official.

Through 30 days of the

57- day season, Santana led Oaklawn riders in victories ( 30) and purse earnings ($ 1,257,277). Osorio had five victories.

Both jockeys were raised in Panama. Santana is the f irst jockey to win four consecutive Oaklawn riding titles since Hall of Famer Pat Day took 12 straight ( 1983- 94). Santana has 320 Oaklawn victories including

19 in stakes, most recently aboard the Steve Asmussen- trained 4- year- old filly Terra Promessa in the Grade

3 Bayakoa Feb. 18. Santana won his first Arkansas Derby last year aboard the Asmussen- trained Creator.

“They both grew up together and they both learned happiness together,” Munoz said. I’m just happy that they’re walking around and that they are alert.”

* Best known for saddling Kentucky Derby winners I’ll Have Another and Nyquist,

California- based trainer Doug O’Neill is represented in both $ 125,000 stakes races today at Oaklawn.

Fantastic Style is the early 9-5 choice for the Spring Fever, a 5 1/2- furlong dash for older filly- and- mare sprinters. Aristocratic is the 3-1 second choice in the program to Oaklawn winner Rockshaw in the Gazebo ( former Mountain Valley) for 3- year- olds.

Aristocratic stretches out to six furlongs after a Feb. 11 maiden victory at Santa Anita. Kaleem Shah, whose Bob Baffert- trained Bayern won the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic, paid $ 475,000 for the son of Malibu Moon last year.

“A little bit farther than what he’s been going and so it gives him a chance to add a little distance to his resume,” O’Neill said. “We would love to see Aristocratic go around two turns one day. Kind of see how Saturday goes.”

Rockshaw, owned by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong of Conway, makes his first start since winning a first- level allowance race by 2 3/4 lengths Jan. 14. Trainer Ron Moquett said Rockshaw “got completely murdered at the start” when fourth in a $ 100,000 November stakes race in Maryland.

The Gazebo marks the 3- year- old debut of Balandeen, whose dam, the Baffert- trained Mamma Kimbo, won Oaklawn’s 2012 then- Grade 2 Fantasy in her second lifetime start. Sired by 2006 Preakness winner Bernardini and trained by Chris Hartman, Balandeen placed fifth in the mile- and- sixteenth Grade 3 Delta Jackpot in November at Delta Downs.

“I’m looking for a strong performance out of him,” Hartman said. “I don’t know about this California rascal.”

Completing the Gazebo field are Seven Forty Seven, Romeo O Romeo, Doc Kane, Prados Way and Laughing saints song. The Gaze bo, race 7 on the card, is 4:09 p.m.

Fantastic Style, also owned by Shah, is a

2015 Grade 2 winner at Los Alamitos and a last- out second in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Jan. 21 at Santa Anita. She enjoys a class edge in the Spring Fever after running behind 2016 champion female sprinter Finest City last time.

“This particular race, I was actually surprised,” O’Neill said. “For $ 125,000, it is a lot of money, but there’s a couple of really nice fillies in there. She’s going to have to have her running shoes on to get it done. But she’s training like she should run well.”

Oaklawn stakes winner Marquee Miss and Super Saks also are entered along with Kat hballu,N at ural Wonder, Durango, DR C’s Pretty Sky and Her Love for Pappy. Race

8 in the program, the Spring Fever goes at

4:38 p.m. The nine-race card start sat 1:05 p.m.