Rare spill paralyzes longtime Canterbury Park jockey
A longtime jockey at Canterbury Park was paralyzed after a rare fall after finishing a race in Phoenix Tuesday.
Anne Von Rosen and her horse, Panchita Bonita, had just finished in second place in a 400-yard race at Turf Paradise, according to Canterbury Live. Just steps beyond the finish line Panchita Bonita collapsed, flipped over and landed on top of Von Rosen, trapping her underneath, Daily Racing Form reports.
She was knocked unconscious and transported to the hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery for leaking spinal fluid, according to the Paulick Report. Initially doctors were concerned she wouldn't survive, WCCO reports.
Von Rosen is currently paralyzed from the waist down and there is little chance she will regain movement in her legs, according to the Paulick Report. She is set to undergo another surgery on Friday.
"Something like this doesn’t happen very often,” Doug Oliver, a regular trainer and former training champion at Canterbury Park, told Canterbury Live, “but when it does it’s a hard blow.”
Von Rosen has ridden at Caterbury Park's summer meet since 2001.
“We talk about jockeys putting their lives on the line, but it’s true,” Canterbury’s Director of Media Relations Jeff Maday told WCCO. “Every time they step onto the track, it’s dangerous.”
Von Rosen was having a successful meet before the accident – she was fourth in the standings with 54 wins behind leader Jorge Carreno, WCCO reports. She is a multiple stakes winning rider with 666 wins from 4,939 starts, according to Equibase. She rides both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses and has had a strong presence at both Turf Paradise and Canterbury Park, according to the Paulick Report.
It remains unclear whether heat exhaustion or a bad step factored into the horse’s fall. Panchita Bonita was not injured, the Paulick Report says.
