Top female rider recovering well after fall at track

Top female jockey Samantha Fletcher is set for another long spell off the track after suffering two fractures to the upper part of her body at Caymanas Park last month.

Fletcher is now nursing a fractured left collarbone and another fracture to a section of her right shoulder. The first injury occurred after she fell from her mount, MAGICAL MOOD, during a race on March 2. While she sat on the ground after the fall, she was kicked on the shoulder by another horse in the race.

Fletcher, the leading female rider at the track this year with six wins, described these latest injuries as the worst she has sustained since she began riding in September of 2018 at Caymanas Park.

After almost a month away from riding, Fletcher told The Gleaner on Wednesday that she has been recovering well.

“I am feeling pretty good right now because they (injuries) are 10 times better now than when I first sustained them,” said Fletcher.

She said the injuries may need surgery but a firm decision has not yet been taken.

“I have not made any decision on whether I am going to do any surgeries. I am waiting on the bone specialist to determine what I should do but I am hoping that I don’t have to do any surgeries,” she said.

“He (bone specialist) will also determine when I will resume riding, because he said that the injuries are healing much faster than expected,” Fletcher added.

Fletcher, who has ridden more than 30 winners in her career, was sidelined for four months last year after suffering a broken right thumb during a three-horse spill.

She stated that, despite her latest injury setback she has no plans to walk away from the sport.

“I am not giving up, because this is my job and it is my career and I am a fighter, and so I am going to come back much stronger. I think that, as long as trainers still have confidence in me, then I am going to continue winning races at the track,” she said.

Last year, Fletcher became the first female jockey in the history of Caymanas Park to boot home three winners in one race day. She is one of four female riders at Caymanas Park. The others are Abigail Able, Tamika Lawrence and Natalie Berger.