Jockey Castro cleared to get on horses after back injury

Jockey Eddie Castro, who sustained a hairline fracture of his back in a spill at Belmont on Oct. 15, received clearance from doctors on Friday to begin getting on horses, his agent, Mike Gonzalez, said.

Castro hopes to begin getting on horses in the morning at Palm Meadows in Florida by the middle of next week and is targeting the first week in February as his return to the saddle.

Castro, the sixth-leading rider on the New York Racing Association circuit in 2011 with 111 winners, will ride at Aqueduct when he does return.