Trujillo, out three months, returns to riding

MIAMI – Jockey Elvis Trujillo, sidelined three months due to chronic kidney stones, returned to riding this past weekend at Gulfstream Park West and plans to remain in south Florida throughout the winter.

“Elvis is healthy and grateful to be back to work again,” his agent, Cliff Collier, said. “He had recurring issues with kidney stones, he wasn’t sweating right, and was having trouble losing weight. But that’s all straightened away now. He’s tacking 119 at the moment, but hopes to be down to 116 in a couple of weeks.”

Trujillo, a mainstay in south Florida earlier in his career, had traveled widely before returning to the area this past spring. He won 32 races during the spring-summer meet before being forced to the sidelines in August.

“Elvis is working very hard and really looking forward to the championship meet,” Collier said.

Collier is also hustling book for the apprentice Carlos Hernandez, who has returned here after riding in Kentucky earlier in the season. Hernandez, who won Sunday’s sixth race aboard Cold Blood for trainer Jimmy Douthall, will have his bug until the end of March, according to his agent.