ROCHESTER, MN – With troubling news seemingly never-ending, the Minnesota racing community was further jarred on March 17 when it was learned that Canterbury Park/Turf Paradise jockey – and Shakopee’s own – Patrick Canchari was broadsided while driving to the track in Phoenix.  Patrick has been in a coma ever since and has had to have ventilator help to breath.  His brain trauma was severe and, according to family, he also suffered a fractured C4.

To say that the 29-year old Canchari is a “good kid” is selling him short.  Always ready with a smile, a hug for a young fan and dedication to his family and fellow jockeys, Canchari is who we’d like our kids to become.

In addition to riding both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses at Canterbury Park and Turf Paradise, Canchari, along with Dean Butler, is a jockey representative to the Leg Up Fund, a local fund to help jockeys injured at Canterbury Park.  He’s donated his time, art and money to make sure that others would be taken care of should the unthinkable happen on the racetrack.

Now the unthinkable has happened to him off the racetrack and the track community has responded.

A Go Fund Me Page (https://www.gofundme.com/f/patrick-canchari-recovery-fund) was set up for Patrick with an initial stated goal of $10,000…then $20,000…now $30,000.  While support has been overwhelming, so will the need and, unfortunately, this is still only a drop in the bucket of what he’ll need when he is able to leave the hospital. Visit the link, see if you can help.

Robertino Diodoro, one of Canterbury’s leader trainers, tweeted a beautiful gesture from Tampa Bay Downs announcer and jockey agent at Canterbury, Richard Grunder, in the first race on March 22 as the field headed into the far turn.

https://twitter.com/diodororacing19/status/1241884593797677057?s=20

Will Rogers Downs added their own best wishes as well:

While his family has flown in from Minnesota and elsewhere to be with him, because of the pandemic, they are unable to actually be with him.  They’ve been able to place an iPad in his room and the family was allowed in to gather with his care team to sing “Happy Birthday” for his 29^th birthday.

His sister Ashley and brother, fellow jockey Alex, have gone above and beyond their own grief trying to deal with the sudden tragedy to keep family, friends and fans informed of Patrick’s condition. Alex dedicated a win to his brother on March 22 to his brother:

For my brother Patrick❤️ https://t.co/DtBOuXqwZD

— Alex Canchari (@ACanchariJockey) March 21, 2020

In another message, Alex pointed out that fellow jockey Scott Stevens wife, Pam, is one of the nurses in charge of Patrick’s care, further displaying the tight bonds of the racetrack family and adding some measure of comfort for the family.

Here is the latest update from Ashley shared via Facebook (9:22 PM, 3/27/2020):

The past two days Patrick has been having problems with keeping his temperature regulated. Typically, besides calling throughout the day, I also try to call before I got to bed around 12/1am and then again at 5am before the night nurse leaves. So, last night and this morning it was stated that he felt ice cold to the touch and was shivering, but then when they put a warming blanket on him, his temperature would shoot up. His heartbeat has also been irregular, going as high as the 130s. The nurse this morning mentioned he had a really rough night with continued neurostorming and vomiting profusely. His sedation was increased and more meds were added. Today the neuro team was in with him at least 5 or 6 different times. In the past two days we also added an Infectious Disease doctor to his medical team. He is still on the ventilator, non responsive, has pneumonia, but the good news is that they removed the EVD and he has been tolerating that well. They also removed the oxygen monitor in his brain today.

Baby steps.

Each time we are able to FaceTime with him I read the messages that you send or write in the comments for him. Every birthday video wish was played or birthday message was read to him yesterday–even in Spanish. A lot of the time its hard to read those messages to him without crying. Honestly because this situation is still so unbelievable. But, I refuse to cry on FT with him and immediately take the phone away from my mom if I notice she starts to. I don’t want my brother to think that anything is wrong, so I refuse to cry or let anyone else do so while talking to him. My dad tries to make him laugh and Steven keeps him up to date with what’s going on at the barn. Alex is also always on the line after or between racing, and Novaley calls in daily, as well. She can’t see him, she just talks through the phone. She is still unaware of the severity of his situation and we would like to keep it that way.

Please continue to send him messages and well wishes. We will definitely read them. 💜

Sorry for the late updates, but we always wait on his neuro team to go through his past 8-12 hours with us before posting the daily update. We have also been trying to get all his car stuff in order, insurance claim in order, his belongings packed so Denny and Lexie can take his stuff back with them (along with Leia), and respond to about 100 individual messages. Every day there’s something new to take care of. So, thank you all so much for your patience. I am getting back to yall as soon as I can—I promise.

Please continue to pray/send positive thoughts/vibes/anything. We appreciate y’all so very much. 💚

This week, a Facebook profile picture frame (right) designed by one of Ashley’s friends entitled “Win This Race Patrick” swept through Facebook like wildfire among Patrick’s family, fans and racetrack family.  It was the best, most heartwarming thing I have witnessed on Facebook. For a medium that has grown to be a cesspool of much about what’s wrong with humanity – displaying all too little of it – a rare moment of solidarity, light and love.  It is a testament to the love the racing communities of Minnesota and Arizona for Patrick and the way we rally around one of our own.

Below is montage of photos over the last few years that Heather put together of Patrick.  Additionally, one of her photos of Patrick (top) was an honorable mention selection for the Photo Finish Exhibit at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York and will be featured as part of the on-line exhibit.

Keep Patrick and his family in your thoughts and prayers as he battles to win the biggest race of his life.

Click here for the photo Montage.