Saratoga: Velazquez will return to riding Wednesday

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- John Velazquez confirmed that he will return to the saddle on Wednesday. He is expected to ride Stephanie’s Kitten in the Grade 2, $200,000 Lake George for 3-year-old fillies.

Velazquez, who sustained a broken collarbone in a spill at Churchill Downs on June 16, has been getting on horses since Monday. Thursday, he breezed three horses, and Friday he breezed two more.

Velazquez said he would probably limit himself to riding one or two horses a day, at least for the first week or so.

“I’m just happy to be here,” said Velazquez, the leading rider the last two summers here. “Little by little we’ll get it back.”

Velazquez said he wouldn’t attend the races until Wednesday.

“I’m going to stay home and do my exercises, my swimming, until I’m ready to come back to work,” he said.

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