(from Del Mar track notes)
Tyler Baze, second in the Del Mar rider standings to Joel Rosario, is expected to be out of action for a week as the result of suffering a broken little finger on his left hand. Baze was unseated by his mount, R. Bee Ess, as they went to the gate for the 10th race Aug. 22.
R. Bee Ess ran off and was scratched from the race.
Baze was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla for x-rays, and the finger was set there. A cast was prepared there as well.
The 26-year-old rider was named on eight horses on Sunday's card on the Aug. 23 card. (2nd race: Its in God's Hands, replaced by Mike Smith; 3rd: Kaloula, Alex Solis; 4th: Desert Cowboy, Corey Nakatani; 6th: Stormy Inferno, Martin Garcia; 7th: Sweet Golden Carol, Michael Baze; 8th: Win Allison Win, Victor Espinoza; 9th: Job Boss, Michael Baze; 10th: No Caps No Floors, Aaron Gryder.)
On Aug. 26, Baze is named on eight horses, including Men's Magazine in the Harry F. Brubaker Stakes.
Baze's agent, Ron Ebanks, said the injury would mean he would have to give up the mount on Monterey Jazz in the $300,000 Del Mar Mile (gr. IIT) on Aug. 29 or the $250,000 Del Mar Handicap (gr. IIT) the following day. Ebanks remains hopeful that Baze will recover in time to ride Battle of Hastings for trainer Jeff Mullins in the $350,000 Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) on Sept. 6.
