Sidelined since Nov. 29 due to a positive test for COVID-19, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith is ready to make his return this weekend at Los Alamitos, reports bloodhorse.com. Smith said he experienced only mild symptoms of the virus, and tested negative on Dec. 15.
The first start of Smith's return to the saddle will come aboard 2-year-old Petruchio in Saturday's Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity. Trained by Richard Mandella, the gelded son of Into Mischief partnered with Smith to break his maiden last out on Oct. 31. The likely second choice in the betting drew post position two in the six-horse field vying for points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
“From what I hear about him, they thought a lot about him early on, but he was a bit of a renegade. He was ornery. They had to geld him, I believe,” Smith told bloodhorse.com. “After doing so, he put all his ducks in a row and ran a bang-up race. That was pretty impressive. He won within himself and has come back and worked really well on the dirt.”
Read more at bloodhorse.com.
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