Cedeno returns from wrist injury

Jockey Carol Cedeno will make her return to the Mid-Atlantic region in the first race Friday at Laurel Park. Since fracturing her wrist in a fall at Meadowlands Racetrack last September, she has gradually recovered and feels prepared to take on full afternoon slates soon.

“I feel great,” Cedeno said. “I’ve been going to the gym and I have the Equicizer [a mechanical horse] at the house. I’ve been breezing horses a lot, so I’m ready.”

On March 3, Cedeno traveled to Puerto Rico to ride in three races at Hipódromo Camarero, a promising step toward a full return. On Friday, she will ride first-time starter All Fun N Games in a $25,000 maiden-claiming race for trainer Kelly Deiter.

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“In the beginning, it was hard, really hard,” Cedeno said. “I was frustrated to be home because, you know, I’m that kind of jockey. I work a lot.”

Though she might have been impatient early in her recovery process, Cedeno, 37, said she took the winter to spend time with her children.

If all goes well in her early efforts at Laurel, Cedeno said she would like to be prepared for the start of the season at Delaware Park, where she has amassed 673 victories in 4,006 career starts. The track reopens for racing in May.

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