By Ray Sanchez
More than $45,000 raised at Sunland benefit
Jockey Carlos Rivas didn’t think he was going to make it to the hospital. “I was
unconscious most of the time in the ambulance but at one time I did hear the
medics say I had no pulse and that they were worried,” Rivas says.
That was on Friday, Jan. 29. A horse he was riding in a race at Sunland Park
Racetrack and Casino had fallen and rolled over him. Rivas suffered several
broken vertebrae, fractured ribs and a ruptured aorta.
But there he was, chin strap and all, three weeks later, on Feb. 16, at a
benefit dinner put on by the board of directors of the Homestretch Church at
Sunland Park, much to the delight of more than 400 people who were in
attendance. With his wife, Diana, at his side, he greeted well-wishers with a
sunny smile and a hearty hello. Except for the straps it would have been hard to
tell that he was still recovering from the horrible accident that came so close
to killing him. He even walked into the benefit room under his own power.
The benefit, which included a silent auction as well as a spoken auction, had
raised $45,000 at this writing. More money from auction purchases is expected in
the mail.
The $45,000 total includes $9000 donated by the New Mexico Horsemen’s
Association and another $9000 donated by Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.
The highest winning bid was for a children’s stuffed electronic horse which went
for $4500.
Other items included a big screen TV and memorabilia from nationally known jockeys Jerry Bailey, Pat Day, Calvin Borel and others, including handlers of Rachael Alexandra and Mine That Bird.
The silent auction included tack, artwork, box seats from other tracks and
jewelry.
“The entire evening was a tremendous demonstration that the horsemen will go
above and beyond to help their own when they fall on hard times,” board members
of the Homestretch Church said in a printed statement.
The money received will be divided among injured or ill jockeys and other
racetrackers. Nine were listed before the benefit but there have been other
accidents since. One of the latest jockeys injured is Kelsi Purcell, who
suffered breaks in her spine. She is now able to walk, albeit with steel rods
attached to her vertebrae. Veteran jockey Jorge Martin Bourdieu was also
involved in a spill but escaped serious injuries.
The benefit was sponsored by the board of directors of the Homestretch Church
which is located on the Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino grounds. Directors
include Krystal Villa, DeLinda Green, Teresa Marr, Rodney Richards, Debbie Dyer
and Sonya Surratt.