Luis Sáez suffered injuries to his collarbone and left wrist Wednesday at Saratoga, where the horse he was riding in the John’s Call Stakes fell and died of heart failure. That means Sáez will not be able to ride Kentucky Derby winner Mage in Saturday’s Grade 1 Travers Stakes.
Sáez “sustained a dislocated right collarbone and a slight fracture in his left wrist,” agent Kiaran McLaughlin said in a post Wednesday night at X, formerly Twitter. “No surgery needed.”
A New York Racing Association spokesperson said Sáez was taken to Albany Medical Center. Daily Racing Form’s David Grening reported Sáez was expected to be released from the hospital Wednesday night.
Asked Wednesday night by Horse Racing Nation if a new rider had been named to replace Sáez, co-owner and assistant trainer Gustavo Delgado Jr. said, “Not yet.”
Burning Bright, an allowance-winning, 6-year-old gelding owned by AJ Suited Racing and David Levitch Sr., was carrying Sáez in the 1 5/8-mile John’s Call on firm turf Wednesday. The son of Empire Maker trained by Norm Casse “was rated outside in the two to three path,” according to the Equibase chart, “suffered a fatal cardiac event on the second turn and hit the rail then fell.”
Sáez also was booked Friday for Secret Oath in the Personal Ensign and Saturday on Pipeline in the Forego, Dr B in the Ballerina and One in Vermilion in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial. He also had the assignment on Evvie Jets in Thursday’s Ballston Spa (G2).
