Moment of Silence Scheduled for Jockey Killed in Race

A moment of silence will be held before Friday's horse races at the Alameda County Fair to remember Jorge Herrera.

The that clipped heels with another competing horse. Officials say Herrera suffered major head trauma and was taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, where he was later pronounced dead.

The moment of silence is tentatively scheduled at 12:45 p.m., after the National Anthem. The fairgrounds' race-track chaplain will also say a few words before the races kick off at 1:15 p.m., officials said.

Dennis Miller, the county fair's racing publicist, on Friday morning said the tight-knit, horse-racing community is on "very high edge" following Thursday's tragedy.

Patch readers who were in attendance at the time of the accident said there was confusion among the crowd when Herrera fell off his horse.

"When the fall happened it was on the back corner of the track. So when the horse came around with no jockey it was confusing," Sara Campbell said. "There was no indication that an incident had happened and they kept showing the clip on the big screen after, and it didn't look like a life-threatening situation."

Another Patch reader in attendance during the fall provided the following comment in our :

Very sad. Saw that race and very eerie to see his horse run to the finish without him. —Jo

Officials say there isn't much information on Herrera at this time, other than that he was considered a journeyman who competed in more than 1,000 races in his career.

Herrera was new to the northern California horse-racing community, Miller said.

Race authorities also continue to reach out to family members to notify them of Herrera's death.

The jockey does not have any children or a wife, officials said, and that the closest relative is believed to be in Richmond.

Miller described Thursday's tragedy as a "freak accident," and said that jockey deaths during horse races are very rare.

The last death of a jockey — Juan Gonzalez — that occurred at the Pleasanton race track was 37 years ago in 1975.

Officials also are planning a tribute race this weekend in remembrance of Herrera.