Jockeys Jose Ortiz and Brian Hernandez, Jr., were unseated from their mounts at the start of a race prior to the Breeders' Cup races Friday at Keeneland.
Ortiz, scheduled to be aboard Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Golden Tempo in the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on Saturday, was taken off the track on a backboard by a medical team for further examination.
He was seen a few minutes later walking out of the First Aid facility. He was limping slightly as he walked along with trainer Cherie DeVaux, who trains Golden Tempo and several other horses Ortiz is scheduled to ride.
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"I'm OK," Ortiz told drf.com. He said he was not going to the hospital and added that the horse stepped on his calf.
Hernandez walked off the track on his own, but reports said he was experiencing hip and shoulder pain.
Ortiz was aboard McCoy out of post 11; Hernandez was aboard Fusta out of post 7. Both horses stumbled independently right out of the starting gate of the 7-furlong allowance optional claimer.
It was unclear early Friday afternoon, whether Ortiz would be off the rest of his mounts. His status for Saturday also is unclear.
He was replaced by Umberto Rispoli aboard Lexi's Charm in Friday's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
Ortiz is primed for a huge Breeders' Cup over the next two days. In addition to Golden Tempo, Ortiz on Saturday is scheduled to be aboard Explora in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, Possiblemente/No Nay Hudson in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, Kathynmarissa in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Englishman in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, Rhetorical in the Breeders' Cup Mile, Nitrogen in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, and Minaret Station in the Breeders' Cup Turf.
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