RACING ROUNDUP : 4 Horses in Spill at Saratoga

Jockeys Angel Cordero, Karen Rogers, Herb McCauley and Jorge Chavez were involved in a four-horse spill in Saratoga’s second race today.

McCauley suffered bruises to his pelvis; Chavez was taken to a hospital for precautionary X-rays.

Rogers and Cordero escaped serious injury although Cordero did not ride in the third race as scheduled.

Rogers’ mount, Dom Luck, fell while contending for the lead, and Cordero’s horse, Lost Mountain, unable to avoid the fallen horse, went down.

Aye Calypso, McCauley’s mount, and Global, with Chavez aboard, also fell attempting to avoid Rogers and Cordero.

The Del Mar figures continue on an upward trend after 12 days of a 43-day meet. Attendance on-track is averaging 17,347 a day, up 3.3%, while off track is averaging 18,373, up 5.5%, for a combined total of 35,720, up 4.4%.

Handle on-track is averaging $3,063,616, up 4.6%, while off-track handle is averaging $4,264,449, up 3.5%, for a combined total of $7,328,065, up 3.9%.

Trainer Don Luby said Brisque is “50-50” to defend his crown in the $75,000-added Escondido Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on the turf at Del Mar Saturday.

“He hurt his foot in his last race at Hollywood Park (the Sunset Handicap on July 23),” Luby said. The 7-year-old Australian import has raced only twice this year. He was out until June with a tendon injury following his Escondido victory last August. Only one horse has ever won the Escondido Handicap twice--Big John A. in 1968 and ’69.