Positive Spirit's Kentucky Oaks 2019 stumble 'an abnormality'

An incident in which 2019 Kentucky Oaks runner Positive Spirit stumbled, unseating her rider Friday a few strides from the Churchill Downs starting gate, did not result serious injury to either horse or rider.

Dr. Alan Ruggles, the Association of Equine Practitioners’ on-site veterinarian, confirmed after the race that the daughter of Pioneerof the Nile walked back to trainer Rodolphe Brisset’s barn under her own power. Jockey Manny Franco also walked away from the incident.

Ruggles said Positive Spirit didn’t, in hindsight, appear to make contact with Jaywalk, who ran directly in front of her as horses squeezed leaving the gate. Rather, her “hind foot grabbed the front foot.”

“Nn abnormality of the gait" is how Ruggles put it.

Franco did believe he clipped heels and said, "I'm OK."

For her part in the incident, Jaywalk was disqualified to last in the field of 14.

Brisset’s private veterinarians will evaluate the filly further. The trainer reported after the race that, “Manny’s OK, the horse is OK, that’s the important thing. She’s back at the barn. They caught her real quick. We will come back another day.”

At worst, Ruggles suggested, Positive Spirit could have suffered "a soft tissue injury" in addition to a few cuts.

Positive Spirit won Aqueduct’s Demoiselle (G2) at age 2 and entered the Oaks off a runner-up over the same track in the Gazelle (G2). She’s campaigned by Mike Ryan and Gerry Dilger.