Injured Jockey Says He’ll Return

Jockey Juan Ramos, who suffered a broken pelvis Sunday when his horse flipped entering the starting gate at Playfair Race Course, says he’ll ride again.

Ramos, 34, said Monday he expects to remain in Deaconess Medical Center through the week. Recovery should take from two to three months, he said.

Ramos was injured prior to the start of Sunday’s fifth race for maiden fillies and mares.

“It’s painful,” he said. “The guy handling the horse (Musical Messenger) had kind of a tight hold on her. From what I saw in the mornings, you have to be patient with that horse. She doesn’t like to be pulled.

“The first time (the horse was pulled), she pulled back. The second time, she reared up. The third time he pulled, she went completely over backward.”

Ramos had finished second in two previous races Sunday. He started riding five years ago after working as a groom and exercise rider.

“As soon as I get well, I’ll be back,” he said.

The horse, trained by Ken Cheff, Ramos’ father-in-law, was not injured, Playfair racing secretary Ted Martin said.

Heading into Friday’s card, the third weekend of the first winter season in Playfair history, Inland Northwest horsemen have attracted a six-day on-site daily wagering handle of $40,000, Martin said.

“That’s a little disappointing,” he said. “I thought we’d do about $65,000 on-site, but it’s January and we’re still feeling the effects of Christmas. We’ll get rolling.”

Although $40,000 daily is not enough to sustain the current purse structure, Martin said horsemen’s purses will not be cut.

“Definitely not,” he said. “We’ll hold them where they’re at. We expect an improvement in March.”

When Emerald Downs in Auburn closes in March, Playfair will become the state’s only statewide simulcasting wagering site.

Sewell to play in all-star game

Eastern Washington running back Joe Sewell will play in the Freedom All-Star Football Game Saturday at Texas Stadium in Irving.

It will be televised locally on a delayed basis Sunday at 1 p.m. on Fox Sports. Sewell will play for the North, coached by Joe Taylor from Hampton University. South coach is Eddie Robinson of Grambling State.

Sewell was a second-team All-Big Sky Conference selection in 1996 after finishing with 1,094 rushing yards, the second-best performance in school history. Sewell, a sixth-year senior after receiving an additional season as an injury hardship case, fell 144 yards shy of Mel Stanton’s school record of 1,238 yards set in 1965.

Sewell had six 100-yard performances to give him 10 in his 22-game career and 2,119 career rushing yards, tops in school history for a two-year player and fifth overall all-time.

Track season begins at EWU

The indoor track and field season gets under way Saturday when Eastern Washington stages the Early Bird Open at Thorpe Fieldhouse.

Field events begin at 9 a.m., and running events at 11:30.

The meet will be scored between Eastern, Idaho, Washington State and Whitworth. Athletes from Community Colleges of Spokane and North Idaho will also take part.

Eastern also holds the Spokane Athletic Supply Open on Jan. 25.

, DataTimes