Geroux in ICU; Stable After Spill at Churchill Downs

Jockey Florent Geroux is in stable condition, but will spend several days in the intensive care unit following a Sept. 10 spill at Churchill Downs. In the fourth race, Geroux was aboard second-time starter Flip Flop Freak in a 6-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-olds. The 2-1 favorite was moving to confront pacesetter Ebitda when he suddenly fell around the three-eighths pole. The colt could not be saved. Geroux was taken to a local hospital. "He's in ICU for a couple days to monitor him. Stable but needing observation," Geroux's agent Matt Nakatani told BloodHorse via text Thursday night. "Definitely going to miss an extended period of time." This weekend, Geroux was scheduled to ride unbeaten favorite Salahudin for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert in the Iroquois Stakes (G3), the first race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. He was also scheduled to ride Cash Call for Baffert in the Open Mind Stakes and Yes It Tiz for Brad Cox in the Locust Grove Stakes (G2).