Southern California: Baze, Valenzuela getting ready for Santa Anita

Jockeys Tyler Baze and Patrick Valenzuela, who have missed time this year because of suspension and illness, respectively, are exercising horses at Santa Anita in preparation for a return to riding at the winter-spring meeting.

Baze, 31, was suspended for four months in June for failing a breath test for alcohol. He underwent 60 days of in-house counseling from mid-August to mid-October and continues to attend counseling session for alcoholism. Hollywood Park stewards issued a ruling Dec. 13 allowing Baze to immediately begin exercising horses and return to riding on Jan. 1.

“I’m ready to go,” Baze said Wednesday between workouts. “I’ll just put one foot in front of another. I’m excited to be back. It’s nice to get up at 5 a.m. and come out here. I’m back in my comfort zone.”

Valenzuela, 51, has not ridden since mid-October. Wednesday, he said he was ill in October and decided to take a break during the autumn.

“I didn’t have any mounts for the Breeders’ Cup,” he said. “I decided to take some time off.

“My knees are good. My mind is good and my body is good.”

Valenzuela, who has a history of personal problems that have affected his career, said he is ready for 2014, hoping to improve on a 2013 season in which he won just four races from 85 mounts.

“All it takes is one horse to turn things around,” he said. “Look at Stevens.”

Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens came out of retirement in 2013 to have a brilliant season. In early November, Stevens won the BC Distaff on Beholder and the BC Classic on Mucho Macho Man on consecutive days.

Secret Circle drills

Secret Circle, winner of the BC Sprint on Nov. 2, worked three furlongs in 38.80 seconds on Wednesday, his first workout in a month.

Lighthouse Bay, winner of the Grade 1 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga in July, worked five furlongs in 1:00.20, preparing for the $300,000 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over seven furlongs on opening day of the Santa Anita meet.