It’s almost time to start over for jockey Joe Talamo

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The summer was expected to be a good one for 20-year-old jockey Joe Talamo, who was off to a torrid start at Del Mar with 12 victories in the first three weeks of racing.

Then came bad luck. On Aug. 5, Talamo’s mount, Rockstar Ben, fell after suffering a broken right foreleg, and Talamo broke his left wrist.

Talamo, who has been staying in Louisiana, is scheduled to return to Los Angeles this week for another doctor’s examination and have a brace removed, his agent, Scotty McClellan, said. He’s expected to be sidelined until the start of the Oak Tree meeting on Sept. 29.

The question is how quickly Talamo can regain his quality mounts. According to McClellan, 25 horses that Talamo had previously ridden have won races since his injury, including six stakes.

‘You hope people are loyal, but when you win with somebody else, how do you take them off?’ McClellan said. ‘It will set us back. It takes a month or two to get horses built back up.’

-- Eric Sondheimer