Maldonado needs four months to recover from injuries

Jockey Edwin Maldonado is targeting a comeback in early 2017 from severe rib injuries sustained in a training accident at Del Mar last month.

Maldonado said on Thursday that he is in the midst of a four-month recovery and will begin physical therapy and rehabilitation in November.

“I think it will be four months,” he said in a phone interview. “I’m not quite sure yet. I’ll go see the doctor every month. I start my physical therapy in a month.”

Maldonado fractured six ribs when he was unseated in a workout Sept. 4. He was hospitalized for more than a week and underwent surgery to stabilize the ribs. Maldonado said four of the ribs “needed reconstruction” to stabilize the fractures.

Maldonado said he is in less pain than he was in September but must take precautions in day-to-day life. “I can’t lift anything more than 10 pounds,” he said.

He said this was his first major injury in his 15-year career. “I can’t wait to start my therapy,” he said.

Maldonado, 33, was fourth in the standings at the Santa Anita winter-spring and spring-summer meetings this year. He struggled at Del Mar during the summer, winning three races from 37 mounts.

Maldonado has won three riding titles in California, most recently tying with Rafael Bejarano at the 2013 spring-summer meeting at Hollywood Park.