Bejarano faces tough climb to top of rider standings
DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Rafael Bejarano has won 18 riding titles in Southern California since late 2007. Earning a 19th crown at the current Del Mar meeting might prove tougher than expected.
Through Thursday, the 11th day of the 36-day meeting, Bejarano was tied for fifth in the standings with seven wins, three behind joint leaders Tyler Baze, Kent Desormeaux, and Elvis Trujillo.
For Bejarano, the first two weeks of the meeting have been a chance to reestablish business following a two-month absence caused by shoulder-blade and collarbone injuries sustained in a spill at Santa Anita on May 10. Bejarano returned to riding on the opening day of this meeting July 17 and had his first two-win day since May 4 on Thursday.
Getting back to the top of the standings will take a few weeks, if it happens, Bejarano said between workouts Friday morning.
“It takes time,” he said. “Hopefully, business will pick up. I lost all the 2-year-olds after my accident. We had to start from zero.”
Bejarano said he has no lingering effects from the injuries but needed a few days after he resumed riding to regain fitness.
“I feel good now,” he said. “My muscles are better.”
On Sunday, Bejarano has five mounts on the nine-race program. He does not have a mount in the $200,000 Best Pal Stakes for 2-year-old sprinters.
Bejarano, 32, has won three riding titles at Del Mar, including the last two. He might gain the title this year but said the presence of riders such as Desormeaux, Trujillo, and Joe Talamo, the leading rider at the Santa Anita spring-summer meeting, will make that difficult.
“I hope I can win,” he said. “There is a lot of competition this time.”