Velasquez taking a few extra days before return

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Jockey Cornelio Velasquez was named to ride horses this week at Aqueduct but has pushed back his return for at least 10 more days, his agent, Bill Castle, said Thursday.

Velasquez, involved in a spill Dec. 5 in which he fractured his collarbone, will now return either Jan. 19 or 22. Castle said Velasquez told him he wants to get fitter before returning to ride races.

Velasquez was the third-leading rider on the New York Racing Association circuit in 2014 with 177 wins. He won the Aqueduct fall-meet riding title.