Jockey Pat Valenzuela is considering a comeback, the 61-year-old told Thoroughbred Daily News this week. He hasn't ridden since Dec. 8, 2016, and recently underwent a knee replacement, but Valenzuela has been galloping and breezing horses at Del Mar and at Santa Anita.
The veteran rider said the knee replacement has solved the problems he has been having since tearing his ACL at the end of 2016, and that he can now ride pain-free.
Valenzuela, who has had a history of substance abuse problems and numerous suspensions during his career, is unsure where he will be able to make his comeback. If the California Horse Racing Board is unwilling to license him as a jockey, Valenzuela said he would considering riding in New Mexico or Louisiana.
“I'm getting a good response,” Valenzuela told TDN. “I'm just grateful to be able to get on any horses. Most everybody has been encouraging. I'm not hearing anything negative from anybody. I'm just trying to keep it simple and moving forward. As far as the physical fitness part of it, I think it'll will take me another month to 45 days to get ready. The weight is the most important thing. When you get older it's harder to lose weight. I weigh 128 now. I am working hard and eating light meals. Usually one meal a day. Just trying to stay away from fats and saturated fats.”
Valenzuela began riding in 1978 and has produced 4,346 victories from 28,398 starts, with earnings topping $165 million.
He won the 1980 Santa Anita Derby aboard Codex when he was 17-year-olds. He teamed up with the legendary hall of fame trainer Charlie Whittingham to win the 1989 runnings of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness aboard Sunday Silence. They were then second in the Belmont Stakes.
He has also won seven Breeders' Cup races from 1991 through 2012.
Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.
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