Santa Anita: Gomez waiting on doctor’s clearance

Jockey Garrett Gomez said Thursday he is hoping to receive doctor’s clearance this weekend to resume exercising horses after missing the last seven weeks with a heel injury.

Gomez underwent X-rays on Tuesday on his injured heel and said a CAT scan will be taken in coming days that will provide further information on the status of his recovery. He said he has not placed a timeframe on a comeback date, but is hoping to return as early as the weekends of March 3 or March 10.

“Everything looks good, and it feels good,” he said. “We’ll know more after the CAT scan. I hope to know more any day. We haven’t put an exact date on” a comeback.

Gomez has been sidelined since Jan. 8 when he was injured when unseated on the path from the walking ring to the racetrack. He had 10 screws and a plate inserted in the heel to stabilize the injury. The cast was removed in late January.