Jockey Allowed to Ride

The jockeys are returning to Santa Anita as the Oak Tree meet opens today, some of them having recovered from injuries, one stopping by on a visit from the East Coast and another seemingly about to be extricated from between the rock and the hard place where he wedged himself.

The latest saga in Patrick Valenzuela’s career moved toward a resolution Tuesday when he was tentatively named on four horses for Thursday’s card. He had earlier agreed to sit out opening day as his attorney provided California Horse Racing Board officials with more documentation after his recent hospitalization at a facility that treats patients with mental health and substance-abuse issues.

Richard B. Shapiro, the chairman of the state racing board, said in a statement Tuesday that Valenzuela would be allowed to accept mounts “subject to the resolution of one issue, which we hope to resolve before Thursday.”

The compromise allowed Valenzuela -- who has passed multiple drug tests but has cited privacy of medical records concerning some details of his hospitalization -- to be named to ride before the close of entries for Thursday’s races, but he still must provide more information.

“If it’s not done, he’ll be taken off at scratch time,” said Valenzuela’s agent, Tom Knust, adding that the CHRB had been “working with us.”

“I’m confident they’re going to let him ride,” Knust said. “It’s just a matter of which day.”

Among the jockeys who will ride on the nine-race opening-day card are two top riders returning from injuries.

Corey Nakatani, who injured his shoulder exercising a horse at Santa Anita and took himself off what turned out to be the winning horse this month in the $1-million Woodbine Mile in Canada -- a race Valenzuela won aboard Becrux when he was approved to ride as a late substitute -- is back with five mounts today. Alex Solis, who missed the final day of the Del Mar meet after suffering bruised ribs in a spill, will ride four horses.

The real action of the 26-day meet begins Saturday, with three Grade I races, the first of eight stakes over the first two weekends of the Oak Tree meet that serve as preps for the Breeders’ Cup, which will offer a record $20 million in total purse money for eight races Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Returning to California to ride Wait A While in the $400,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf will be Garrett Gomez, the jockey formerly based in Southern California. He has been riding for trainer Todd Pletcher on the East Coast, his mounts having earned more than $15.3 million, ranking him No. 1 among jockeys.

The other Breeders’ Cup preps Saturday are the $250,000 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship, with a field led by The Tin Man, the 8-year-old Arlington Million winner, and the $250,000 Oak Leaf Breeders’ Cup Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.

The probable favorite in the Oak Leaf, Point Ashley, is the top-ranked juvenile filly in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships poll after winning the Del Mar Debutante.

The Tin Man and Point Ashley are ridden by Victor Espinoza, the jockey who won a record seven races on one card at Del Mar and has taken advantage of the transition in the local jockey colony and his own maturation to become the third-leading jockey this year, with $13.7 million in earnings.

“He deserves it,” said Bob Baffert, the trainer of Point Ashley. “He’s a good rider and a hard worker.”

The highlights of the second weekend include the latest race by Lava Man, the Cinderella claimer who swept the Santa Anita Handicap, the Hollywood Gold Cup and the Pacific Classic.

Trainer Doug O’Neill considered running Lava Man -- winner of Grade I races on turf as well as dirt -- in the Hirsch. But he said he thought it was probably better to stick to the dirt in the Grade II $500,000 Goodwood Breeders’ Cup Handicap on Oct. 7 as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Should Lava Man win again -- for the seventh time in succession -- the 5-year-old gelding will be headed for a West-versus-East showdown against Preakness winner Bernardini in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will have a purse of $5 million for the first time.

Also scheduled Oct. 7 is the Grade II Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile, which figures to draw Aragorn, winner of the Del Mar Breeders’ Cup Handicap and the top-rated horse in the Breeders’ Cup Mile division.

The last of the Breeders’ Cup preps at Oak Tree is the Grade II $250,000 Norfolk Breeders’ Cup Stakes for 2-year-olds Oct. 8. Trainer Richard Mandella’s Horse Greeley, the winner of the Del Mar Futurity, is the likely favorite -- and yet another horse whose regular rider is Espinoza.

*

Fairplex Park, which closed its 16-day meet Monday, had a record handle for the second consecutive year.

The total handle of more than $113.8 million was boosted by the single-day record of more than $10 million set the day of a pick-six carry-over of $988,445.

robyn.norwood@latimes.com

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

At a glance

Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita. Starts today and runs through Oct. 29 (26 days).

Post times: 1 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 12:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and Oct. 9; noon on Oct. 28 and Oct. 29.

* Significant races: $400,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes (Saturday), $250,000 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship (Saturday), $250,000 Oak Leaf Breeders’ Cup Stakes (Saturday), $250,000 Lady’s Secret Breeders’ Cup Handicap (Sunday), $250,000 Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup Stakes (Oct. 7), $500,000 Goodwood Breeders’ Cup Handicap (Oct. 7), $250,000 Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile (Oct. 7), $250,000 Norfolk Breeders’ Cup Stakes (Oct. 8), California Cup Day (Oct. 28).

* Leading jockey: (2005 meet): Garrett Gomez (44 wins).

* Leading trainer (2005 meet): Steve Knapp (16 wins).

Bob Mieszerski