Bejarano plans to resume riding Thursday

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Rafael Bejarano is targeting a return to riding at Santa Anita on Thursday after sustaining a minor knee injury in a spill Feb. 11.

Bejarano bruised a bone in a one-horse spill on the turf course, according to his agent, Tora Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi said Bejarano will resume riding on Thursday to coincide with the start of a new condition book, which details races to be run at Santa Anita from Thursday through March 19.

Despite his recent absence, Bejarano still ranks fourth in the jockey standings at the meeting with 18 wins. Flavien Prat leads all riders with 37 wins.

Bejarano, the dominant rider in Southern California in the last decade, has won the last four riding titles at winter-spring meetings, beginning in 2012-13. Last year, Bejarano had 74 wins at the meeting, well clear of Prat, who finished second with 51.

Bejarano has won seven of the last nine riding titles at winter-spring meetings. Adding to that total could be difficult this year. The meeting ends April 9, giving Bejarano only six weeks of racing to catch Prat.

Earlier this month, Bejarano withdrew an appeal of a three-day suspension issued in late December for causing interference. The suspension ends Saturday.