Kimura off Friday mounts with minor leg injury

Jockey Kazushi Kimura was off his two mounts at Santa Anita on Friday after sustaining a minor leg injury in the starting gate on Thursday.

Kimura is booked to ride six races on Saturday, including the strong favorite Big City Lights in the $125,000 California Cup Sprint, but needed a day off on Friday to continue his recovery, according to his agent, Brian Beach.

“He’s not going to make it” on Friday, Beach said late Friday morning. “He’s still a little body sore. He doesn’t feel he can give 100 percent today.

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“He’s planning on riding tomorrow. The swelling went down and now it’s just sore.”

Kimura was injured when My Sister Lilly became upset in the gate, briefly pinning the jockey’s left leg against the side of the starting gate stall. Kimura was off his final two mounts on Thursday.

Through Thursday, Kimura was tied for fourth in the jockey standings with five wins since the winter-spring meeting began on Dec. 26.

Kimura, 25, has earned three Sovereign Awards as Canada’s outstanding rider – in 2018 as an apprentice, and in 2021 and 2022 in the overall category. He was recognized with the Eclipse Award as the 2019 outstanding apprentice jockey throughout North America.

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