Calvin Borel will miss five weeks with broken jaw, but jockey isn’t punched, he’s kicked by a horse

BY Jerry Bossert
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Jockey Calvin Borel will be out of action the next five to six weeks after suffering a broken jaw.

Borel, who was involved in the infamous Breeders’ Cup Brawl with Javier Castellano, wasn’t punched, but was kicked by a trailing horse in Saturday’s $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot after falling from his mount Aces N Kings.

“A stifle locked up on the horse he was on and he pushed Calvin out and dropped him,” said Jerry Hissam, Borel’s agent. “The trailing horse (Blue Laser) that Shaun (Bridgmohan) was on kicked him.”

The three-time Kentucky Derby-winning rider returned to Louisville Saturday night and underwent surgery Sundaymorning.

“It was just bad racing luck, the fortunes of our sport,” Hissam said. “Actually, he was fortunate in a way that he didn’t get kicked an inch or two lower, which would have been right in the larynx.”

Hissam hopes the 44-year-old jockey will be ready to ride when the Oaklawn Park meet in Arkansas opens on Jan 14.

Initial reports had Borel just suffering a cut on his chin.

SUNDAY’S CARD:

1ST: Just Hold On took them gate to finish under Jose Lezcano, while heavy chalk Colonialism never got involved, finishing ahead of just one, while making his dirt debut. The colt raced on the grass and just missed over the Polytrack at Keeneland when last out on April 8. Back to the grass or fake stuff for him.

3RD: Chalk Rule by Night ($4.30) tracked the pace of Bank Heist before taking off at the top of the stretch to prevail in the $60,000 Groovy Stakes. It was 9-1/4 lengths back to Sunrise Smarty, who edged out Dixie Notion for the place spot.

5TH: Trainer John Terranova saddled his second winner on the afternoon when first-time starter Tag V Eye, a $120,000 purchase, outfinished favored firster Walker’s Landing in a good-looking debut. Terranova, a 40-year-old father of two, also saddled Chorus Music to take the second.

6TH: Heavy chalk Those Lion Eyes had no trouble with this bunch, drawing off in the lane to break her maiden by open lengths. It was her first start for a claiming tag, after losing in her first three starts against special weight company.