Jockey Jose Campos suffered a fractured right tibia on Saturday after falling off Danish Cookie at the start of the second race at Woodbine, a seven-furlong synthetic track race for mares. Danish Cookie stumbled right out of the gate, causing Campos to fall and injure his right leg. According to Ron Jerkink of Daily Racing Form, Campos focused on his right foot following the fall. He did not ride for the remainder of the day and was taken to the hospital, where the shin fracture was confirmed. Danish Cookie, trained by Frank Fuarte for Christopher Fuarte, was safely secured by an outrider.
Campos’ agent, Jerry Holguin, shared via Woodbine Communications on X that Jose has suffered a tibia fracture and thanked everyone for their support and concern. The first race of the event was won by Hyper Holiday, trained by Devon Gittens, with DeShawn Xavier Gaskin riding. Equibase charts noted that a stewards’ inquiry took place regarding the race start but resulted in no penalties.
Earlier in September 2023, Campos endured a severe accident in a pre-race incident near Toronto, where he suffered multiple broken ribs and fractured vertebrae. This happened when the horse Spanish Beauty flipped while moving from the velodrome to the racetrack, causing Campos to crash into a metal railing before the horse collapsed on top of him.
A former top rider in Mexico, Campos joined the Woodbine jockey group at the end of 2022. His career includes 149 wins out of 1,653 rides, amassing over $7.2 million in prize earnings. He recently won the Ontario Derby (G3) aboard Borealis Trail on October 18 and holds seventh place in the Woodbine jockey rankings with 46 wins. Campos also claimed victory last year in the Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, riding Vitality.
Fan Take: This injury to Jose Campos is a significant blow to the Woodbine racing community, as he is a rising star with remarkable achievements despite previous serious injuries. Fans of horse racing should watch closely how his recovery unfolds, as his presence adds both talent and excitement to the sport, and his resilience embodies the spirit of racing.
