Jockey Laurent Beaucamp Suffers A Riding Injury At Monmouth

Posted Under: News by Jim Murphy on 6th September 2016

Jockey Laurent Beaucamp is in critical but stable condition at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune City recuperating from injuries sustained in an accident at Monmouth Park on Monday. Immediately after the incident he was transported by ambulance to the Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch but later transferred to the Jersey Shore Medical Center due to Grade 1 trauma care center.

The 41 year old native of France was riding Irresistible Me at Monmouth on Monday in the sixth race, an optional claiming sprint was on the turf track. Beaucamp was trying to guide his horse to make a move along the inside rail. It isn’t exactly clear what happened to cause the accident but his mount appeared to make contact with the temporary rail and then stumble over it, throwing Beaucamp hard to the ground. The horse then tripped again, this time falling to the ground himself.

Beaucamp was rushed to the intensive care unit at Saint Barnabas/Monmouth Medical Center. The initial injury diagnosis was extensive and serious: three broken vertebrae that were causing pressure on his spine, a severe fracture of the left arm, fractured ribs and a punctured lung. Once at the medical facility, he underwent five hours of surgery to stabilize his condition including a repair of his punctured lung and lacerated liver. Since arriving at the Jersey Shore Medical Center he has undergone additional surgery to close the incision on his torso and to stabilize he broken left arm with a metal plate. His broken vertebrae will also need surgery though it’s not known when that will take place.

Beaucamp campaigned in the US from 2008 to 2013 before heading back to Europe. He returned to the US earlier this year and was 1 for 10 since–ironically, his lone victory came aboard Irresistible Me in a $15,000 claiming race at Delaware Park on July 20. He has also galloped horses at Parx for trainer Lupe Preciado, the trainer of Irresistible Me. As for Irresistible Me the good news is that his injuries didn’t appear to be life threatening. Whether he’ll be able to race again is not yet known. At present, he’s resting at his trainer’s farm with further evaluation of his injuries and prospects for future competition to take place at a later date.