Jevian Toledo, Maryland's leading rider in 2015 and 2017, returned to racing March 9 with a pair of mounts at Laurel Park.
Toledo, 23, had not ridden in a race since Jan. 20 at Laurel. The Puerto Rico native was injured in a spill during training hours the following morning at Laurel, and suffered compression fractures of the T7 and T8 vertebrae in his middle back, as well as a collapsed lung.
"He was never in much pain and he was able to stay in shape," Toledo's agent, Marty Leonard, said. "He started getting on horses about two weeks ago and has felt pain-free being on a horse."
Toledo finished seventh on Zestful, who is trained by Graham Motion, in the seventh race, and came in fifth aboard the Jason Egan-trained She's Achance Too in the eighth race.
Leonard said the plan is to bring Toledo back slowly, riding no more than two races a day. He has no mounts on the March 10 card at Laurel and is named to ride The Great Ronaldo in the ninth race March 11.
Last year Toledo led all Maryland riders with 144 wins and $4,564,961 in purse earnings. He earned the title at Laurel's fall meet, which was his fourth riding title. He ranked second in Maryland's overall standings in 2016.
