Velazquez Hopes to Return in February

Jockey John Velazquez is continuing his recovery from injuries sustained in a spill at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 and hopes to return to race-riding in February.

He breezed a horse at Palm Meadows on Saturday morning to gauge his fitness level. “It’s nice to be here and good to be getting back on horses,” the Hall of Fame rider said. “I’m coming along pretty well and I’m getting stronger. I worked one instead of galloping, and the reason for that is working horses is more similar to race-riding. When you gallop them, it’s a slower movement and you use different muscles in different ways. Working horses will get me fitter and stronger than just galloping.”

Velazquez, 42, was forced to have his spleen removed after being thrown from Secret Compass during the running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. He was the regular partner of reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan, and missed out on riding him in his successful Breeders’ Cup Mile title defense.

Velazquez won 37 graded stakes in 2013 despite being sidelined during November and December. “It felt good,” Velazquez added. “I just need to build myself up a little more and, hopefully, by the beginning of the month I will be ready to start riding in races.”

A two-time Eclipse Award winner, Velazquez was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2012. He has ridden 5,088 winners to date, and his mounts have amassed over $298 million. His career highlights include guiding Animal Kingdom to victory in the 2011 Kentucky Derby and riding 12 individual Breeders’ Cup winners.