Valenzuela Returns Wednesday; Fined $1,000

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(from Oak Tree at Santa Anita notes)
After a week on the sidelines due to an injured left foot and a "misunderstanding" about calling in to the stewards to report his ailment, Patrick Valenzuela worked horses Sunday morning and has been named on horses this Wednesday.

The stewards Saturday fined Valenzuela $1,000 for not adhering to conditions of his conditional license.

"My doctor released me today," the 43-year-old rider said. "I run before the races sometimes and I think I pulled a tendon," he said in explaining the origin of the injury. "I was on a redeye to go to Kentucky on Oct. 8 and the morning of Oct. 9, I was at O'Hare Airport (in Chicago). I got off a flight and started carrying my bags to my next flight and I couldn't walk. My foot was so sore I could not walk. I had to sit down.

"I came back to California the next day, saw my doctor and he gave me some anti-inflammatories (medication), and I tried to ride with it but it was very painful. The day I came back to win the Oak Tree Derby (aboard Aragorn on Oct. 15), I jumped off the horse and almost went down to my knees."

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