As John Velazquez lay unconscious after being thrown from hishorse during a 2008 race, Keenelands doctors wanted to administera pain medicine.
A few key strokes on a laptop computer alerted them theycouldnt. Velazquez was severely allergic to the drug.
Now Keeneland is taking steps to ensure all jockeys get the samekind of treatment.
Track officials are mandating all jockeys provide medicalinformation for Keenelands internal computer database. The systemgives doctors instant access to critical details such as allergies,blood type, and past injuries.
Velazquez, who was racing Wednesday at Aqueduct in New York,says he enthusiastically supports the new requirement as do mostjockeys he knows.
“If you have an accident and pass out, you could die,Velazquez said. “Thats one step forward to try to minimizeanymore risk.
The Jockey Health Information System is being widely used sinceits rollout in 2008, shortly before Velazquezs second seriousspill in about two years. Jockey Club spokesman John Cooney said 44tracks and the National Steeplechase Association are using thesystem, and while most jockeys fill out the forms voluntarily,Keeneland is the first to mandate it.
If Velazquezs injury helped prove the merits of the program,another even more potentially serious accident at Keeneland lastfall accelerated the requirement.
Jockey Julia Brimo, a rider visiting from Canada whose medicalinformation wasnt available to the Keeneland doctors, was thrownwhen her mount clipped heels and fell, knocking her to the ground.She was put in a neck brace and under no condition to talk, even asdoctors tried to get critical information from her.
Keeneland track physician Barry Schumer said Brimos conditionimproved even without the background information, but her injuryunderscored the risks of not having it.
“It pointed out that if were going to go to the trouble ofgathering this information, we probably need to have it on anybodywho is on the back of a horse riding a race in the afternoon,Schumer said.
Even last year, it was rare for a jockey to ride in a race atKeeneland without handing over medical information. Schumerestimated there has been a 95 percent compliance rate in previousmeets and said no jockey resisted this spring when the policy wasmandated.
Other tracks could soon follow, including Arlington Park inIllinois, which is preparing to implement the mandatory policy forits meet starting next month.
“Safety of jockeys is extremely important to everybody inracing, and you want to save any time you can, said David Zenner,spokesman for Arlington Park. “If a rider gets hurt, you want tohave that information at your fingertips.
Velazquez, a longtime advocate for jockey safety improvements,said he would like to see the information shared among all theparticipating tracks in a sort of national database. Even ifjockeys remain conscious after an accident, they might be in noposition to talk, and many dont speak English.
Other jockeys agree tracks must err on the side of safety.
“Its a situation where if its a life-threatening emergency,the more information they have, the better they can serve us,jockey Kent Desormeaux said.
The information is stored on a laptop computer next to thecritical care bed in the tracks first-aid room. Only medicalprofessionals with an ID and password have access, and if a trip toUniversity of Kentucky hospital is needed, it is faxed or sentthere electronically ahead of the jockeys arrival.
With the racing industry focused on safety enhancements,particularly since the fatal breakdown of Eight Belles at the 2008Kentucky Derby, improvements for jockeys have been a major part ofthat. Newly designed helmets, vests and whips are quickly becomingstandard.
Keeneland has made numerous safety changes, most notablyswitching its surface from dirt to synthetic, and last year was thefirst track certified by the National Thoroughbred RacingAssociations Safety & Integrity Alliance.
Track president Nick Nicholson said the move to mandatingmedical information has been smooth, with strong support from theJockeys Guild and most regular riders.
“So often we beat ourselves up that were incapable ofcooperating, but heres a good example of working together, hesaid.