Top Jockey Remains Comatose After Severing Spinal Cord

The nations’ 13th ranked jockey, Michael Martinez, suffered a horrific accident at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday. Martinez was taking a turn at approximately 35 miles per hour when his horse’s hoof clipped the heel of another horse. Martinez was then thrown from his mount as his own horse, Fair ‘n Warmer, rolled over him–effectively severing the young jockey’s spinal cord. He was put into a medically induced coma after undergoing 11 hours of surgery. He remains in that coma, but is in critical but stable condition KTVU.com reports.

Dr. David Seftel, the track’s physician, was the first to make his way over to Martinez. Seftel says that Martinez was unconscious, barely breathing and had a mouthful of dirt. He also broke all the ribs on the side of his body in which he landed and had bleeding into his lungs and a major head injury to top it all off. The doctor was able to determine that Martinez’s spinal cord was severed at the scene of the accident. The accident is so severe that it will leave Martinez paralyzed from the waist down.

The jockey was taken to Oakland’s Highland Hospital where he was in critical yet stable condition. He was put into a medically induced coma after undergoing 11 hours of surgery. He was still comatose Tuesday night.

The jockey’s horse, Fair ‘n Warmer, walked away without injuries.

Photo: RacingPost.com