Garcia back in the saddle following spill

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Martin Garcia resumed working horses this week at Santa Anita after being sidelined for three weeks following a fall during training hours on Sept. 26.

Garcia, who was at Santa Anita for workouts Tuesday and Wednesday, was booked on one mount for Thursday’s program. Garcia is not scheduled to ride on Friday’s eight-race program, but his agent, Thom Mitchell, said he was hopeful to book mounts this weekend.

Garcia was hospitalized after the fall because of concern over a head injury sustained in the accident. He received doctor’s clearance to resume racetrack activity last Saturday, according to Mitchell. Garcia also met with track stewards last week to provide an update on his condition.

“He worked three on Tuesday, and we’ve worked four horses today,” Mitchell said Wednesday.

Garcia, 33, has won 26 races from 214 mounts this year. Earlier this decade, when closely allied with trainer Bob Baffert, Garcia won such races as the 2010 Preakness Stakes on Lookin At Lucky and the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic on Bayern.