LAUREL, MD. 01-06-12---Apprentice rider Sarah Rook will miss six to eight weeks after breaking her left collarbone Thursday afternoon at Laurel Park. Rook was tossed from Nucky Thompson while galloping out following a third place finish in the finale.

“She is in good spirits,” said Tim Walsh, her agent.

Originally from Connecticut, the 25-year-old has bounced around the country in her quest to become a jockey. She worked at Mountaineer Park and Colonial Downs then hooked up with Maryland-based conditioner Frannie Campitelli at Pimlico (2007-2008). Her next stop was at Delaware Park with Hall of Famer Jonathan Sheppard before landing the gig with trainer Dickie Small in September 2010. She made her debut a winning one with a score aboard Emosewa for Small at Pimlico on April 29, 2011.

She then went to Colonial Downs and finished third in the standings and tied for fifth during the Laurel Park fall stand, with 32 victories, including a score in the Selima Stakes aboard Softly Lit.

Rook finished 2011 with 88 wins from 558 mounts with earnings of nearly $1.3 million.

She began 2012 with a win on Wednesday’s opening day card and had five in the money finishes from 11 mounts.

OUR COMMANDER WINS SECOND RACE FOR TRAINER LINDA GAUDET

Team Gaudet’s Our Commander won Friday’s second race at Laurel Park for trainer Linda Gaudet, who took over the barn for her husband Eddie, who retired at the end of 2011.

It is the first score for Linda Gaudet as a trainer since 2001 and 20^th overall. A longtime owner, she is 20-of-105 lifetime as a conditioner.

Eddie Gaudet finished his distinguished career with 1,735 victories with earnings of nearly $24 million.