Busy Bejarano Ready for Santa Anita

Rafael Bejarano will barely have time to wash his face between races the first two days at Santa Anita, once action begins tomorrow.

The perennial Southern California riding king was scheduled to ride in eight of nine races Friday and all 11 races Saturday. Bejarano was named on nine horses Friday, but his mount in the fifth race, Judge Carr, was scratched.

“Sometimes it works out,” explained his agent, Joe Ferrer, who also represents Julien Leparoux. “The (condition) book went both days, and I had a call in almost every race.”

Told Bejarano is the kind of guy who can ride 11 a day, with youthful enthusiasm on his side at the age of 31, Ferrer said, “He’s going to have to. I was just thinking about it. He’s working horses this morning and he hasn’t been on a horse in two weeks, because he went to Peru (his native country).

“That’s not a concern because he stays fit. He’s so small, he’s got no problem staying fit. He can eat all he wants and still weigh 105 pounds.”