Valenzuela Bags Four Wins; Leads Hollywood Park's Jockey Standings
Date Posted: 5/22/2002 9:24:21 PM
Last Updated: 5/23/2002 5:44:25 PM

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela.
Photo: AP/ Benoit Photo
Jockey Patrick Valenzuela continued his thus far successful comeback with a four-win day at Hollywood Park Wednesday. Calzada Kid won the $60,180 feature race under Valenzuela, giving him his first four-victory day in nine years.

Calzada Kid beat Linda Eder by a half-length, running 1 1/16 miles on the turf course in 1:42.90 and paying $18.80, $9.20, and $5.60. Linda Eder returned $15.60 and $5.80, and Partytime paid $4.80 to show. The victory, worth $39,780, increased Calzada Kid's career earnings to $99,740, with two wins in six starts.

Valenzuela also won the first race aboard Politarium ($5.20), the fourth on Karsavina ($3.40), and the sixth on Here Me Out ($16.20).

The 39-year-old jockey resumed riding in December after a 22-month suspension for substance abuse. He leads the Hollywood Park jockey standings with 26 winners. He's won six stakes races since returning, including the San Luis Rey Handicap (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita and this past weekend's Railbird Stakes (gr. III).

The suspension was just the latest in a series of drug-related incidents involving Valenzuela. His current one-year conditional license is contingent on his passing random drug tests and continuing to participate in substance abuse programs provided by the Winner's Foundation, a Southern California organization designed to help racetrack employees deal with addiction problems.

Copyright © 2012 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SUBSCRIBE to The Blood-Horse magazine TODAY!