There is no doubt that a career in the jog cart and race bike will take its toll one way or another. Similar to the nagging ailments of a veteran raceway horse, it is sometimes tough to find the down time to address every single ache and pain. In the case of horseman Danny Romo, he has made the time
.
On Wednesday, December 14, Romo underwent a successful laminectomy, an operation to relieve pressure, jammed nerves and arthritis from three vertebrae in his lower back.
Romo, whose trainees have won over 800 races, was released from hospital Thursday, December 15. Although the resident of Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia is nearing his 3,500th career win in the bike, adding to his driving numbers is just going to have to wait.
"I don't feel all that bad right now," Romo, 59, told Trot Insider. "Some people from the barn came by just last night and I was able to walk down the steps and get around a little bit.
"The doctor told me that I will miss at least six to eight weeks, but that I should be able to get in a car in eight to ten days. I will be able to get myself to the barn, but I will not even be able to do any lifting at all, let alone get in a cart."
Romo explained to Trot Insider that his racehorses are currently turned out and that he has two-year-olds coming back January 1. The horseman also stated that he has six yearlings in the barn. With his limited capabilities due to the much-needed maintenance, Romo has brought a couple of individuals into his training operation to make sure his barn keeps rolling on.
"The surgery was a long time coming," Romo told Trot Insider. "I've been in jog carts and bikes for 40 years and have been involved in some spills that have really caused my lower back to be in the shape it was in before the surgery. About seven or eight years ago I was in an accident where a horse stepped directly on my lower back which made everything much worse."
Please join Standardbred Canada in wishing Romo a complete and speedy recovery.
Hi Danny, It's good to see
Hi Danny,
It's good to see you got your back done. You'll bounce back and be like a kid again and hope you will be like Phil Pinkney and be the oldest to drive in the Gold Cupe and Saucer.
You have guts like Higheser Tiny. See you next year at the races.
Eric (Pugs) McNutt.
Gell well soon Romo! Angela
Gell well soon Romo!
Angela Pat and Garnet Arnold
Hi Danny, I would like to
Hi Danny,
I would like to wish you the very best in your recoperation period and I know it won't be long before you will be in the cart and the bike respectively. You are a trooper and a great ambassador for the sport of harness racing in the maritimes and I also know that you suffered greatly with the pain from your back. I am glad that your surgery is over and you are heading toward recovery. Take care of yourself and don't rush back too quick and things will go well for you. Wish you the very best.
Ginny,Max, Adam and Wayne
Danny has been a long time
Danny has been a long time competitive driver in Atlantic Canada. Like many others here he could have been a driving star anywhere in the harness racing world.
He has a gruelling stakes and race schedule every year, and drives at the various tracks in the Maritimes. He's just shy of 3500 career wins and has a great lifetime .332 UDRS. He has got to be one tough guy, and back surgery is probably no big deal for him. Fortunately he's got great support from his wife Susan, who travels with him quite often from track to track in the summer months. She'll be very helpful in aiding Danny's speedy recovery.
We all wish Danny well, and look forward to his driving in 2012, hopefully free of pain.
Larry Resnitzky
Managing Editor
Atlantic Post Calls