Santa Anita: Kimura is expected back Saturday from leg injury

A minor injury to his left leg took jockey Kazushi Kimura off three entrants Friday at Santa Anita, where he was expected to return Saturday for his six rides on California Cup day.

Kimura’s injury in a starting-gate mishap Thursday afternoon was noted in a media release from the track Friday. Daily Racing Form reported specifics and quoted Kimura’s agent Brian Beach as saying Friday “he’s still a little body sore.”

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Kimura got hurt when My Sister Lilly became agitated just before Thursday’s seventh race was about to start. Kimura’s leg got pinned against the starting gate, DRF’s Steve Andersen reported. The still unraced Win the Space filly owned by R L Stables and trained by George Papaprodromou was declared a veterinarian scratch, according to the Equibase chart for the $60,000 maiden race for California-bred, 3-year-old fillies. Kimura was replaced for his last two assignments Thursday.

Among his booked rides Saturday, Kimura is scheduled to be on 2-5 morning-line favorite Big City Lights in the Cal Cup Sprint, Moment’s Pleasure in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint and Musical Number in the Cal Cup Oaks. He also is assigned to ride Ma Rae’s Girl on Sunday in the Grade 3 Las Ciénegas Stakes.