Jockeys refuse to race after one of them gets crushed by an upside-down horse

FINGER LAKES were forced to abandon their Wednesday card after a nasty stalls accident saw the rest of the weighing room refuse to race.

Oscar Gomez suffered two leg fractures and a broken ankle when his horse Two Step Slew reared and flipped upside in the stalls.

Gomez was taken to a nearby hospital by the track ambulance and during the delay to find a replacement, racing was abandoned.

The issue stemmed from safety concerns, with jockeys feeling that there was a lack of urgency in finding a replacement ambulance.

The incident came just one day after Andre Worrie broke his arm after the debuting Big Brad Soldier on Tuesday.

Executive director of the Finger Lakes Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association Austin Reed told : “There’s a lot of emotion and tension.

“A whole lot of frustration has built up over the last couple days and even the last couple years with the lack of response from the EMS service providers at Finger Lakes.”

Racing is scheduled to resume at Finger Lakes on Monday.

A statement from the track read: “Fellow jockeys expressed some concern with the medical response (for Gómez) and requested a meeting with management in lieu of riding in the remaining races of the day.”

“We will continue to strengthen protocols where able and maintain ongoing weekly dialogue with all stakeholders.”

It’s been a difficult period for US racing, with Churchill Downs forced to suspend their spring meet after 12 horses died in six weeks.

That hasn’t been the case at Finger Lakes, however, with two horses dying at the venue since November.

A further blow for the sport was felt on Tuesday when trainer Jason Servis was jailed for four years.

Servis was one of 30 originally charged in March 2020 after a years-long investigation into performance enhancing drugs in the sport.