Injury, suspensions will sideline Bejarano two weeks

DEL MAR, Calif. - Jockey Rafael Bejarano, with an injury to his right hand and six days of suspensions, will not ride again until Nov. 26, his agent, Tora Yamaguchi, said Saturday morning.

Bejarano on Friday was given a second three-day careless-riding suspension; the dates are assigned to this Del Mar meet. There is one free day, Nov. 19, amid those six days, but Yamaguchi said he and Bejarano decided it wouldn't be worth coming back for that one day while recuperating from his hand injury. So Bejarano will be out for the next two weeks.

"With his hand bothering him, why rush back?" Yamaguchi said. "It just makes sense to wait."

Bejarano saw a specialist Friday and was diagnosed with a strained ligament on the outside of his right hand.

"He has a soft brace on it to keep it immobilized," Yamaguchi said.

Bejarano booked off his mounts Friday and Saturday because his hand was bothering him. The first of his two three-day suspensions begins Sunday.

With Bejarano absent, Flavien Prat - who tied Bejarano for the riding title during the summer meet here - becomes the overwhelming favorite to win this meet's title. The meet runs through Dec. 4, meaning Bejarano will ride just six of the 15 days.

-- Texas Red, winner of the 2014 Breeders' Cup Juvenile who has not raced since the 2015 Travers Stakes, worked a half-mile at Santa Anita on Saturday morning in 51 seconds, his second official workout this month for trainer Keith Desormeaux as he heads down the comeback trail.

-- Jilly, prepping for next Saturday's Grade 3, $400,000 Delta Princess at Delta Downs, worked a half-mile in 48 seconds at Santa Anita for trainer Bob Baffert.