Jockey Florent Géroux is in stable condition in the intensive care unit after his mount, Flip Flop Freak,fell in the fourth race at Churchill Downs on Thursday evening.
Agent Matt Nakatani, who represents Géroux, told Horse Racing Nation that he is in a Louisville "ICU for a couple days to monitor him. Definitely going to miss an extended period of time." Further details of his injuries were not released.
In Thursday's fourth race at Churchill Downs, Géroux was riding Flip Flop Freak, a 2-year-old son of Life Is Good trained by Brian Lynch for owner-breeder Flying Dutchmen. He was sent off the 2-1 favorite of 11 horses in the six-furlong, maiden special weight sprint on dirt. Flip Flop Freak was battling near the lead but fell near the furlong pole. Specifics about the injury were not released, but Flip Flop Freak's record in the Jockey Club registry reflects that he has died.
Géroux had been named on several mounts over the next few days, including stakes horses Saturday for Bob Baffert and Brad Cox. He had been named to ride Salahudin, the 8-5 morning-line favourite in the Grade 3 Iroquois, for Baffert. Géroux had ridden Salahudin in both his previous starts, a debut maiden win at Ellis Park and his 4 1/2-length win in the Ellis Park Juvenile on Aug. 9. He also had the call on the Baffert-trained Cash Call in Saturday's Open Mind Stakes and on Brad Cox-trained Yes It Tiz in the Locust Grove (G2).
