Valenzuela gets new agent

Jockey Pat Valenzuela, who hopes to resume riding in California pending the results of a California Horse Racing Board meeting Friday, will be represented by agent Ronnie Ebanks should he be reinstated.

Valenzuela has not ridden since July 1, after being suspended through the end of 2004 for violating his conditional license when he failed to submit to a hair-follicle test. The suspension came one day after Valenzuela returned from a 30-day ban for failing to submit to a mandatory drug test in January 2004.

The stewards also recommended that Valenzuela "not be considered for future licensing by the California Horse Racing Board in any capacity."

On Friday, the racing board is scheduled to consider the decision of an administrative law judge regarding Valenzuela's appeal of the suspension. The details of the administrative law judge's opinion have not been made public.

Ebanks, who has been representing Gerard Melancon at the current Fair Grounds meet, said Valenzuela had called and asked for his representation. "We know each other since he came to Chicago one time while I was representing Shane Sellers," Ebanks said.

Ebanks, 40, is a former jockey who has been an agent for Sellers, Jorge Chavez, Chris Antley, John Velazquez, and Mark Guidry.

Valenzuela was formerly represented by Corey Black.