Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Gelding put down
Jockey Justin Shepherd had his shoulder examined late Thursday after being injured in the fifth race at Oaklawn Park that resulted in the euthanization of his mount. El Oso, a 5-year-old gelding, appeared to be making a four-wide winning move when he suffered a compound fracture of his left front ankle.
HOT SPRINGS — Jockey Justin Shepherd had his shoulder examined late Thursday afternoon at St. Joseph’s Mercy Health Center after being injured in an accident earlier in the day at Oaklawn Park that resulted in the euthanization of his mount in the fifth race.
Shepherd’s younger brother, Dusty, told the Oaklawn media relations department late Thursday afternoon that the jockey was going to have his left shoulder Xrayed, adding he was conscious and starting to remember the accident.
Shepherd, who was transported to St. Joseph’s by ambulance, complained of shoulder soreness after tumbling to the ground when El Oso broke down at the top of stretch in the race for older stakes-level sprinters.
El Oso appeared to be making a four-wide winning move when he suffered a compound fracture of his left front ankle.
El Oso, a 5-year-old gelding owned by Tom Durant and trained by Jack Bruner, was euthanized on the track following the accident.
Two trailing horses, Launch Light and Herecomesbert, went almost directly over Shepherd, who remained motionless on the track for several minutes.
El Oso, however, rolled over back to his feet and clipped Dynamic Within, who was running on the rail under Alex Birzer.
Birzer went over his horse’s head to the ground, but escaped injury.
The jockey, who won