Jockey Killed At Los Alamitos Race Course

CYPRESS, CA — A 53-year-old rider was killed in a training exercise at the Los Alamitos Race Course Friday.

It wasn't immediately clear how Alfredo Luevano, who was riding the 2-year-old filly Fly From The Fire, died because nobody saw it happen, according to track officials. He was riding the horse down the backstretch in a training exercise when he somehow fell from the horse, according to track publicity director Orlando Gutierrez.

"He was on the ground when assistance arrived while the filly ran off under her own power," a race course spokesman said.

He was rushed to the Long Beach Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Gutierrez said.

Luevano's death has rattled the horse racing community because fatal injuries among riders are rare. Over the years, there have been a handful of jockey fatalities. A rider died on Christmas day in 2008 when he was thrown from his horse after a race and another jockey was thrown and killed during a race in 1994.

Mike Marten, spokesman for the California Horse Racing Board, told City News Service on Saturday that investigators were looking into the matter and seeking potential witnesses.

Fly From The Fire ran off under her own power and was not injured. The quarter horse was entered in Saturday's seventh race at the Cypress track but scratched as a precaution, Gutierrez said.

Luevano was born in Luis Moya in the Mexican state of Zacatecas. He had 33 mounts as a jockey, mostly in Mexico and Colorado. Luevano was issued an exercise rider license by the CHRB this year.

Luevano is survived by his wife, Marisela Martinez, their children, Lisbet, Alfredo Jr., Alex, Aldo, and Camila, six grandchildren and his father, Augustine.

A moment of silence will be held in Luevano's memory before Sunday's race card at Los Alamitos.

"On behalf of the Los Alamitos Race Course family, we express our deepest condolences to Mr. Luevano's family members and friends," Gutierrez said.

Fly From The Fire has run in five races in her career, all at Los Alamitos. A second-place finish in a handicap race July 30 was the only time she finished in the money.

It's not uncommon for horses to die from training or racing injuries (12 horses have died from such injuries at Los Alamitos this year, according to CHRB data), but fatal injuries to jockeys or riders are far more rare.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.