Sidelined Garcia hopes to be back in the saddle for Santa Anita meet

CYPRESS, Calif. – Jockey Martin Garcia, sidelined by back issues for most of this month, hopes to resume riding by the start of the Santa Anita autumn meeting on Sept. 29, the jockey and his agent said on Wednesday.

Garcia, who won the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Collected on Aug. 19, has not ridden since Sept. 3. He was booked to ride the closing-day program at Del Mar on Sept. 4, but did not ride because of back pain.

Garcia was booked to ride at Los Alamitos from Sept. 7-9, but took off his mounts. He was not named to ride last Sunday or on Thursday or Friday of this week.

Garcia, 32, said last weekend that the injury is likely to have been caused by the effects of a one-horse spill that occurred after a workout at Del Mar on Aug. 29. While galloping out, Garcia’s mount broke down and rolled onto the jockey, who walked away from the incident.

“I think it happened when I fell,” he said.

Garcia said Wednesday that he is awaiting word from doctors on his return.

“I don’t know how long I’m going to take,” he said, adding that he hopes to ride by Sept. 29. The jockey’s agent, Nelson Arroyo, said he expects Garcia to ride later this month.

This year, Garcia has won six stakes, all for trainer Bob Baffert. Four of those wins have been aboard Collected, a leading contender for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 4.