Rollins in Critical Condition
 

Another jock gets seriously injured. Scary.

Jockey Chance Rollins was in critical condition in Stanford Hospital suffering from bleeding in his brain stem in the back of his brain after being thrown over the rail during Sunday's third race at Bay Meadows.
The 36-year-old rider was aboard odds-on favorite Dr. Ramos when the 5-year-old gelding veered in sharply in the opening eighth of a mile just before the 15/16ths pole. Rollins appeared to bail off the runner and landed with one foot on the safety rail before somersaulting and falling on his side on the hardpan dirt inside the rail.

Rollins was unconscious and not breathing when track physician Dr. David Seftel and paramedics reached him. Dr. Seftel resuscitated him, and the rider was conscious and able to move his limbs before being taken to Stanford Hospital for a CAT scan and X-rays.

At the hospital, bleeding began to occur in his brain, and he was being monitored closely. He was to undergo an MRI to determine if a tear in the carotid artery was causing the bleeding and also to check for a possible neck fracture.

The brain stem is responsible for the heart rate and breathing. Rollins was being helped to breathe mechanically and was undergoing critical cardiac monitoring to avoid possible cardiac instability.

Rollins was fourth in the Bay Meadows standings with 19 victories.

Oh my god...that is sad. Very sad. I hope the jock is tough enough to pull through. I hate to see anyone get hurt and this is a damn shame.:(

This is very unfortunate and does not sound good at all for the rider. I think all that can be done is hope and pray for the best.

DAMN, I hope he gets better. :(

That's terrible news. I for one think these guys and girls participate in one of the most dangerous sports in the world.Everyone of them has had mutiple bone breaks.Each time that gate opens these people are facing catastrophic injury.With all due respect to hockey and football players, these jockeys are the most courageous athletes around. While some of our more illustrious "superstars" in other sports bench themselves with sprained thumbs, guys like Johhny V get back on a skittish thoroughbred just a few weeks after a horse rolls over on him, puncturing lungs; snapping ribs and breaking his collarbone.

May God look down on Chance Rollins tonite.

I KNEW IT WASN'T just me Johnny V. looks scared every time he got in pack tight and I didn't think he could get his hand above his shoulder to whip. I think ENGLISH CHANNEL is a better horse than that.

This is terrible!!!! I will pray for this man and his family tonight. How sad!!!!!!!

Wow, that sounds bad. I definitely hope he makes it.

Are there any racing sites out there that provide regular updates about jockeys when bad accidents happen? I've usually had to wait for someone to post a few days later, or just sit around wondering whatever happened. It would be nice to keep track of them so we can send some good thoughts their way...