He won the 26k race prior to it too.

Rene rode two winners for me that unless you bet the horse or owned the horse, you wouldn't have given it a second glance. He also drove me nuts on other rides and I swore he wouldn't ride for us again. But he always participated in all the goofy Arlington PR dunk tank stuff and never showed up late in the AM for works. It's a truly horrible situation and I second everyone's thoughts and prayers here...It was a weird day at the track today.

Hopefully his current situation has do with the swelling or edema in the injured area which would regress in 10-14 days potentially allowing the nerve roots/cord to recover and transmit impulses hopefully leading to recovery of muscle movement.

As long as he does not have a transection or severing of his cord like that poor unfortunate kid Andrew Lakeman did two years ago at Belmont his prognosis may have reason to hope. Hopefully his paralysis is due to the edema squeezing the nerve root/cord which slows down blood flow (ischemia) throughout the cord.

It's likely Rene is still in the hypothermic phase of resuscitation where his body is cooled to 32-33 C to minimize the secondary phase of the neuro injury. They keep patients ventilated and sedated so it is impossible to know anything about recovery of function until he is not being treated this way. It isn't done every time but in 2009 hypothermia is a big part of acute neuro care.

If he did in fact have movement and feeling in his feet post fall that is a huge positive. My most sincere prayers are certainly with he and his family.

Doc..you posted accurately about that kid who had the football injury that was treated immediately and was able to walk again. Is this comparable and will AP (or any track) not having a similar response situation cost him?

Yes, thank you. I grew up in the Chicago-land
 

and was for some reason thinking they shipped him to the hospital up in the NW suburb's... I hope they did call in someone top rate... taking your chances on who is on the call list on a holiday weekend.... you never know

I/L

The hypothermic environment would not be a track available or expected therapy. Patients have to be accurately diagnosed before that protocol is utilized. Without really knowing how severe Rene's injury is there really is not more to stay other than to keep coming back to the feeling or movement he had in his feet. Permanent paralysis cases never have movement or true feeling post event because there is no blood flow so he must have still had blow flow post injury.

Missed the transfer comment.....

Chicago has a first rate trauma service. There is no way a neuro injury in a city of that size and medical reputation doesn't get triaged to a Level 1 trauma center

He had surgery at Northwestern Medical Center one of the finest medical centers in the country.

that's what i'm hoping for, that any paralysis has to do with swelling at the injury site. no doubt tho everyone has seen that they're concerned that a bone fragment could have caused damage. but i'm taking the fact that he did have feeling in his extremties earlier as a good sign-i'm hoping for the best, as i'm sure everyone is.

I just read and heard about this, I am really at a loss for words. Heres hoping for the best for Rene Douglas and family

He started at a level 1 trauma center, then got helicoptered downtown due to them having a better neuro center.

I totally agree with your assessments too, as my sister's a clinical pharmacist in the ICU at Childrens/Barnes in STL and what she told me earlier today matched exactly. Let's all hope for the best when the swelling goes down.

I have ridden Rene quite a bit over the years. He was a smart rider and he rode hard. While I was pissed at him over a few rides last fall, I still respected his abilities as a jockey. This is a horrible deal for anyone but especially someone as competitive as Rene.

I scanned the thread and didn't see this confirmed but Born to Be was euthanized. I would've been surprised if she hadn't been but I was just told about it.

Rene was a good rider that wasn't afraid of saving ground and using the rail, I will miss watching his rides if indeed he doesn't walk again and if he chooses not to ride again, wish him the best.

from drf:

Born to Be, who shipped in from Woodbine for trainer Eric Coatrieux, was badly injured and had to be euthanized, according to Arlington officials Sunday.

at a loss for words.................... thoughts and prayers go out to rene and his family.


-bt-

You know, today was a very good, yet sobering day here at Arlington. The sun was out, the girls were plentiful, Albin ran his rear end off, but all day and night all I could think about is how I would react if the thing I loved most was taken away from me.

Thinking about something like this really messes with ya, and quite honestly, it is really amazing that the other jockeys were able to compete and ride with the same enthusiam (minus Lydie Wade) after seeing what happening. It is a testament to them and their courage.

Hopefully he is able to make it back to the track in some capacity because Arlington would indeed miss not being able to understand him. :)

Jamie Theriot gets 30 days suspension from AP stewards for careless riding in the mishap...

DRF's Marcus Hersch on ATR at 4:15p with latest on Douglas...

Does this mean that he can not ride anywhere? or just Arlington?

I didn't even see it happen during the running of the race. Theriot's ride was awful and completely unacceptable.

My thoughts are with Rene and his family -- this is just terrible.

Anywhere. Most tracks/States/jurisdictions reciprocate.