[RUFFIAN]

Injured jockey Victor Espinoza is making progress at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, according to his agent, Brian Beach.

Beach said July 25 the rider will be hospitalized
at least until July 26 following the fracture of his C3 vertebra during a fall July 22 at Del Mar, while he was working grade 2 winner Bobby Abu Dhabi, who died from an apparent cardiac event.

The fracture in Espinoza's neck will be treated with a brace he'll have to wear for six weeks, but the reason for his extended hospitalization has been nerve sensitivity in his left shoulder and arm.
That sensitivity, however, has diminished over the last 24 hours, Beach said.

"He's feeling much better," the agent said. "He was having quite a bit of sensitivity to nerves in his arm and shoulder.

They still hadn't wiped the racetrack off of him until yesterday, because he was so sensitive to the touch.
But now that that's going down, he's been able to do more things with his arms.

Victor Espinoza is recovering from injuries suffered in a July 22 fall at Del Mar
"There was no pain unless someone touched his arm, and then it would light up."

Beach said Espinoza is in good spirits and was visited by trainer Bob Baffert and his wife, Jill Baffert, Tuesday.
Espinoza has also been walking around and doing some physical therapy, Beach said.

"He was smiling and joking around today," Beach said. "He's happy to see feeling coming back to his arms