Los Alamitos Jockey Critically Hurt

Manuel Loza, who won his first stakes race on Friday, was critically injured in a spill on Sunday and was on a life-support system at Los Alamitos Medical Center late Monday.

Loza, 25, was involved in a two-horse spill in Sunday’s 10th race, an 870-yard race for maidens. On the backstretch, High Desert Bugs, the early leader, suffered a broken right front leg and fell, throwing jockey G.R. Carter. Ajo Easy, Loza’s mount, was directly behind High Desert Bugs and wasn’t able to avoid the fallen horse. Loza was thrown to the ground in front of Ajo Easy, who apparently fell on the rider.

Loza underwent surgery early Monday morning and was listed in critical condition with a head injury.

Loza, a native of Mexico who shares a home with two brothers in Pomona, rode his first parimutuel race earlier this year at Los Alamitos. Through Sunday, he had won 11 of 61 races, including the Garden Grove Stakes on Friday aboard Calyptra.