Tyler Baze to return for Santa Anita opener

Jockey Tyler Baze, who has not ridden since Nov. 15 after undergoing hand surgery in mid-November, is on schedule to return for Santa Anita's opening day of the winter-spring meeting on Dec. 26, his agent, Ron Ebanks, said Wednesday.

Baze is expected to resume working horses Monday, Ebanks said. For the opening-day program, Baze has mounts in the two Grade 1 $300,000 races for 3-year-olds - Papa Clem in the Malibu Stakes and Carlsbad in the La Brea Stakes for fillies.

The Malibu Stakes has a strong field. The probable starters include Coronet of a Baron, Feisty Suances, Jeranimo, Kinsella, M One Rifle, Misremembered, New Bay, and possibly Smart Bid, who could start the same day in the Sir Beaufort Stakes on turf.

Sutherland returns to California

Chantal Sutherland, who finished second in the jockey standings at Woodbine earlier this year, has returned to Southern California for the winter. Sutherland is booked to ride B's Lucky Strike in Friday's fifth race at Hollywood Park but will otherwise concentrate on the start of the Santa Anita meeting.

Sutherland, 33, finished 11th in the standings at the 2008-09 winter-spring meeting here with 18 wins.

Sutherland had 139 wins and earnings of $7,588,868 at Woodbine.

"It was amazing," she said. "I couldn't ask for a better year."