by Pete Denk

Three jockeys were transported to St. Luke Hospital in Florence, Kentucky, following a series of accidents in the ninth race at Turfway Park on Wednesday night.

Early in the $5,000 claiming race for fillies and mares, Polar Vixen clipped heels with Nip It. The incident unseated Polar Vixen’s jockey, Kevin Krigger, and the four-year-old Tethra filly dropped out of the race.

Nip It, with Inocencio Diego riding, appeared unaffected at first and was in second approaching the far turn of the 6 1/2 furlong race when she broke down. Slew Slammed Slew, ridden by Weldon Cloninger Jr., and Immersed in Verse, with Justin Vitek up, collided with Nip It, unseating their riders.

Diego suffered a fractured collar bone and a hairline fracture to a bone near his calf, agent James Fowler said.

“Diego’s here in the hospital and will get an MRI today to make sure nothing is wrong with his back,” Fowler said. “Right now, it looks like it’s mostly a collarbone, the calf bone, and a bunch of bruises. He got lucky considering how the spill looked.

“The thinking is that the heel clip may have caused his filly to break down later in the race. When she switched to her left lead nearing the turn, she had a catastrophic breakdown.”

Nip It, a four-year-old filly by The Deputy (Ire) out of Battle Fire, By Crimson Battle, was euthanized immediately after the race, Kentucky’s Chief Steward John Veitch said.

Krigger sustained two fractured vertebrae in his neck, agent Brinda Robbins said.

“He can’t move his neck but he was released last night and he is walking around and appears to be stable,” Robbins said. “He will see a neurosurgeon today. He hasn’t been able to do it yet because of insurance issues.”

Cloninger was treated and released, and he was named on horses for Thursday night’s card. Cloninger could not be reached for comment.

Vitek was the only rider who walked away from the accident under his own power. He complained of a sore leg but was expected to ride on Thursday, agent Charles Wisbey said.

“Justin walked back to the jocks room. He said his leg was a little sore, but he thought he was gonna be alright,” Wisbey said. “He said he was going to call me if he couldn’t ride tonight, and I haven’t heard from him, so it sounds like he’ll be OK.”

The stewards disqualified the winner, Oklahoma Heat, and placed her last for drifting out and causing the initial heel clipping incident, Veitch said.

Pete Denk is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer