Krone Leaves the Hospital but Needs Another Exam

Julie Krone was released from the hospital Saturday, a day after she was tossed from her mount in a scary two-horse spill at Hollywood Park.

Dr. Steven Schwartz, an on-call orthopedist at Centinela Hospital, said that Krone sustained severe bruises of the upper chest and right shoulder. X-rays showed that Krone suffered no fractures.

The 40-year-old Hall of Fame jockey, who leads the standings at Hollywood, will not ride until after she is examined by Dr. Tom Harris, an orthopedic surgeon. Krone said that her status is “day to day” as far as returning.

Krone’s closest pursuer in the standings, Pat Valenzuela, has not raced in four days because of flu, and won’t ride today. Krone has won 23 races at the meet, one more than Valenzuela.

Gary Stevens, Krone’s replacement in Saturday’s $107,900 On Trust Handicap, rode Excess Summer to a 3 1/2-length win. Stevens, still feeling the after-effects of a spill in the Arlington Million in August, had been idle since the Breeders’ Cup on Oct. 25.

David Nuesch, the other jockey involved in the spill with Krone, was not seriously injured but also didn’t ride Saturday. Another jockey on the shelf is Ryan Fogelsonger, injured when he was unseated shortly after the start of Friday’s last race. Fogelsonger’s X-rays were negative, said his agent, Michelle Barsotti, but more tests on his shoulder will prevent him from riding until at least Thursday.

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While the industry has promised extensive improvements in tote systems since the pick-six scandal at the Breeders’ Cup in 2002, isolated incidents continue to give bettors pause. One of the biggest complaints is sharp drops in odds after a race has begun. At Hollywood Park on Saturday, after El Don had broken alertly in the 6 1/2-furlong sixth race, his odds were 5-1 on the board until the field reached the half-mile pole, when they fell to 3-1. El Don’s win payoff was $8.20.... Silver Wagon, considered one of the best 2-year-olds in the country after his Aug. 30 win in the Hopeful at Saratoga, returned to the races and ran third, beaten by more than five lengths, as Second Of June won the $100,000 What A Pleasure Stakes at Calder.... Also at the South Florida track, Hasty Kris, owner-trainer John Sadler’s shipper from Hollywood Park, won the $100,000 Kenny Noe Jr. Handicap.... Eric Saint-Martin, riding Skipaslew for owner Merv Griffin and trainer Doug O’Neill, won the $75,000 Gold Rush at Golden Gate Fields.... Frank Stronach’s Thunder Blitz, winless since taking the Flamingo in 2001, outfinished Evening Attire to win the $100,000 Queens County Handicap at Aqueduct.