Baze Joins AA, to Resume Riding Saturday

(from Santa Anita notes)
Jockey Tyler Baze, who failed a Breathalyzer test Saturday at Hoosier Park and was suspended for seven days, has joined Alcoholics Anonymous and is set to resume riding Saturday at Santa Anita, his agent, Ivan Puhich said Thursday.

The 22-year-old Baze was over the limit of .05 on the test, according to reports from steward Gary Wilfert at Hoosier Park. Baze was at Hoosier to ride Southern Africa in the Indiana Derby (gr. II).

The young rider has had a turbulent year. He endured a 62-race losing streak at Del Mar and recently underwent treatment for an eating disorder that dropped his weight to about 100 pounds. His physician was Santa Monica nutritionist Dr. Phil Goglia, who determined that Baze was bulimic. He was placed on a special diet to overcome the illness.

Puhich said Baze is in condition to ride.

"Tyler runs three times a week and works out every week," Puhich said. "He's been on horses every morning. He hasn't missed a morning. He worked one this morning for (John) Sadler at 8 o'clock and left."

Baze has one win and a second from 10 rides at Oak Tree this meet.