The $75,000 Tall Stack Stakes at Belterra Park produced two anxious moments on Saturday.
With a 1/16th of a mile left to run, the evenly matched field of nine was bunching up as the front runners were tiring and the closers making strong moves to the lead. Jockey Deshawn Parker was moving toward an opening with his stakes-winning colt Gliding Along when Mound to his outside shied from a right-handed whip and Gliding Along clipped his rival’s heels.
Parker somersaulted over his mount’s head and was thrown to the track, as Gliding Along regained his momentum and finished the race unscathed.
Parker remained on the track as medical staff attended to him quickly after the fall. After a brief period he was helped up and walked to the ambulance as the crowd enthusiastically applauded.
“I could hear that and really appreciated it,” said Parker, who led the nation in number of wins in 2010 and 2011. As a precautionary measure he had x-rays taken of his elbow at nearby Anderson Township Hospital. “Everything checked out fine and they gave me a few stitches,” said the lanky 5’10” rider. “I’m sure I’ll be sore in the morning and will probably be off about a week to let the elbow heal.”
At the time of the incident, Boot Legger made a strong move in the center of the track and appeared to hit the finish line simultaneously with his stablemate Unbridled Graduate who was sweeping past the field wide from the outside after a bad start. The two horses circled outside the winner’s circle for several minutes as the placing judges examined the photo to find Boot Legger winning by the narrowest of margins.
Since both horses were owned by Mast Thoroughbreds and trained by Robert Gorham, they had their photo taken together after the race.
Boot Legger was ridden by Emanuel Ramirez and covered the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:18.43 and returned $8.00, $5.40 and $3.60 as did coupled entry Unbridled Graduate.
Favored Alliseeisgold had a show payoff of $2.40. Mound, was determined to have initiated the contact during the running of the race and was disqualified from 4th and placed 9th.
From Belterra Park Communications
Thanks for writing this article. I saw the replay and wanted to know what happened to Parker.