Solis Out for the Meet

DEL MAR — Alex Solis, the leading rider nationally, will be sidelined for at least the rest of the Del Mar season as the result of injuries suffered in a spill Friday.

Riding Golden K K, a 4-year-old filly who clipped the heels of another horse near the eighth pole, Solis was unseated and suffered a fractured vertebra and three broken ribs. He remained in Scripps Memorial Hospital on Saturday.

“He’s in some discomfort, but he’s also talking and laughing,” said Scotty McClellan, Solis’ agent. “We’re awaiting second and third medical opinions. There is the chance of surgery to give the spinal cord additional support. Right now, the spinal cord is fine, but they want to make sure Alex doesn’t do anything to re-injure himself.”

Golden K K was not injured in the spill. George Slender, one of the Del Mar stewards, said that two of the jockeys -- Javier Santiago and Omar Figueroa -- involved in the crowding at the eighth pole had been interviewed and would not be penalized. Santiago rode Vegas Folly and Figueroa was aboard Playgirl.

This year Solis’ mounts have earned almost $11.5 million. With Pleasantly Perfect, he won last year’s $4-million Breeders’ Cup Classic and this year’s $6-million Dubai World Cup. Corey Nakatani will take over for Solis in today’s Bing Crosby Handicap. Trainer Bobby Frankel has not named a substitute for Solis on Vangelis in today’s Eddie Read Handicap.

-- Bill Christine