1 horse is retired after spill on turf at Monmouth

Although their injuries were not catastrophic, one of the two horses involved in a spill in Sunday at Monmouth Park has been retired.

Service With Honor, who clipped heels with a fading rival, suffered what trainer Mike Dini called a “career-ending but not life-threatening injury,” a track spokesman said Monday. Dini “did not specify what it was," but the 3-year-old gelding “walked into the van on its own” after falling in the final turn of a 1 1/16-mile allowance race on the turf course.

The 4-year-old gelding Rose for a Saint, who could not avoid the accident just ahead of him, “has no apparent injuries,” according to what Dini told the spokesman. The two horses ran loose before being corralled by outriders shortly after the race.

Both jockeys – Tomás Mejías on Service With Honor and Heriberto Figueroa on Rose for a Saint – were sore but will be all right, their agents told Horse Racing Nation in text messages Monday morning.

“As of now (Mejía) is home resting (with) no broken bones,” Robert Tuccille said. “Just sore.”

Figueroa “got released from the hospital at 6:30 last night,” John Salamone said. “A little body sore, he drove himself home from Monmouth Park. Just had breakfast with him. He’s a little sore (but) will be riding on Friday.”

Mejía and Figueroa were taken to Monmouth Medical Center Sunday and examined for possible head injuries.