It was a difficult weekend for jockeys at Canterbury Park as two members of the colony had to be ambulanced off the track in separate incidents.

Rusty Shaw went down on Saturday afternoon after his mount went down heading for home in the sixth race. Patrick Canchari went down at the gate Sunday when the horse on his inside stumbled out of the gate and lurched sideways causing his mount to trip over his stumbling rival.

Shaw, who had to be airlifted to Hennepin County Medical Center, suffered broken vertebrae in his back and his lungs had to be re-inflated.

Another jockey explained that when an accident is imminent, the body’s first instinct is to draw in air which results in the jockey hitting the ground hard with full lungs.  If the impact is hard enough, the inflated lungs collapse.

Fortunately there was no spinal damage. (See more details here on KARE 11’s website: http://www.kare11.com/mb/news/jockey-injured-in-canterbury-park-race/314646550)

Canchari suffered a broken collarbone in his incident.

“It was just a freak deal really,” he said. “But I broke my collarbone in a few places so I’m having surgery on Thursday. A plate and a few screws. I feel alright, pretty sore but glad it wasn’t worse.”

While the jockey colony is a very competitive atmosphere, there is a solidarity there as well and when something happens to one, it affects them all.

“Tell Rusty that he is in my prayers. He needs it more than me,” closed Canchari

To contribute to the Leg-Up Fund, a Fund specifically to assist jockeys at Canterbury Park who needs assistance after a riding accident, you can send a check to: Leg Up Fund, Attn: Horsemen’s Bookkeeper, Canterbury Park, 1100 Canterbury Road, Shakopee, MN 55379.