NEW YORK (AP) Jockey Rajiv Maragh remains hospitalized with four fractured vertebrae, a broken left rib and punctured lung after a frightening spill during a race at Belmont Park.
The rider's agent said Sunday that Maragh is still confined to his bed, but doctors are telling him ''surgery isn't necessary.''
The accident occurred during Friday's fifth race at Belmont. Mini Muffin, ridden by Ruben Silvera, veered into the path of Yourcreditisgood, with Maragh aboard. Yourcreditisgood then clipped the heels of Mini Muffin and fell hard, unseating Maragh.
He was taken by ambulance to the hospital.
Maragh's agent Tony Micallef said the 30-year-old jockey from Jamaica was in good spirits and relieved when doctors told him surgery was not needed. Maragh recently posted on his Twitter account that the fractures were from ''t4 to t7.''
''The punctured lung is very small, nothing serious,'' Micallef said. ''He can move his legs and arms and everything else is OK, but we don't know how long he'll be out.''
Maragh has won more than 1,600 races over a 13-year career, including the 2014 Wood Memorial aboard Wicked Strong and four Breeders' Cup victories.
