Jockey Vargas, recovered from March spill, returns to race riding

Jockey Jorge Vargas Jr. returned to race riding Saturday at Belmont Park and won with his second mount when Back Channel captured the 10th race at 57-1.

The mounts were the rider’s first since March 20, 2021, which was the date Vargas went down in a frightening spill at Aqueduct. The rider sustained a lumbar fracture, said agent Jimmy Riccio Jr. Vargas has since recuperated. He was named on a mount Friday at Belmont Park, but the horse was scratched, said Riccio, so Vargas had his first two mounts back Saturday.

“He’s a great rider and it’s nice to see him back doing what he loves,” Riccio said.

Vargas guided Back Channel to a 1 1/4-length win in a maiden special weight for fillies and mares over six furlongs on turf. The daughter of Liam’s Map paid $116. Vargas was aboard for owners Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso and trainer Rudy Rodriguez.

Pick six carryover of $130K

There is a $130,292 carryover in the pick six into Sunday’s card at Belmont Park, the track announced. The $1 minimum bet sequence starts in Race 4.

The wager was not solved Saturday. For those who had 5 of 6 it returned $43,430. The sequence featured $38 winner Zaajel in the Mother Goose, $29 winner Runaway Rumour in the Wild Applause, and $116 winner Back Channel in the nightcap.

Lezcano takes off mounts

Jose Lezcano, who was scheduled to ride Runaway Rumour, winner of the $100,000 Wild Applause on Saturday at Belmont Park, took off his mounts earlier on the card. Agent Jason Beides told publicity Lezcano injured his right shoulder when he was unseated from his mount Life is Great while the 2-year-old was warming up for the second race Saturday.

Luis Cardenas picked up the mount on Runaway Rumour and she became his first stakes winner, per publicity. Cardenas won his first career race on Jan. 10, 2020 at Aqueduct and has had seven stakes mounts, according to records from Daily Racing Form.