Carrasco returns from injury

Victor Carrasco, a top rider on the Maryland circuit since 2013 when he won the Eclipse Award as the leading apprentice in North America, will accept his first mounts since last September on Sunday at Laurel Park.

Carrasco is named to ride Mythos in race 5, a $7,500 claiming sprint, for trainer Jonathan Maldonado and Another Broad for trainer Mike Trombetta in race 6, a $40,000 waiver maiden claimer. Another Broad is a Maryland-bred 3-year-old filly first-time starter. She is not entered for a claiming tag.

The mounts will be the first for Carrasco since he broke the tibia and fibula in his lower right leg in a Sept. 14 spill at Delaware Park.

His mount, Really, was on the lead in the one-mile turf race when she appeared to slip and unseated Carrasco. Four other horses were involved in the spill, and jockey Jose Ferrer suffered major internal injures, including two fractured vertebrae, eight broken ribs, and a collapsed lung.

Ferrer resumed riding at Tampa Bay Downs last December and finished sixth in the rider standings there. He is currently the second-leading rider at Monmouth Park.

Carrasco underwent extensive physical therapy at Medstar Rehabilitation at Dorsey Hall in Ellicott City, Md.

“The rehab was good; I worked very hard at it from the beginning,” Carrasco said. “I really want to thank everyone at Dorsey Hall, especially my physical therapist, Kristen, who helped me so very much. They encouraged me to bring my Equicizer to the rehab and made it part of my exercise.”

Carrasco, 25, attended the Escuela Vocacional Hipica jockey school in his native Puerto Rico. His classmates included current riders Jevian Toledo, Manny Franco, and Jorge Vargas Jr. Since coming to the United States, Carrasco has 821 wins, a win average of 17 percent, and mount earnings of more than $22.3 million.

He was cleared to resume galloping horses May 22.

“I galloped for about a week and then started breezing horses every day,” Carrasco said. “I get on six or seven horses a day now to get myself fit to ride. People have been asking me to ride for them, but my agent has made me wait a little longer to make sure I am ready.”

Tom Stift has represented Carrasco throughout his career.

Anyone who has watched Carrasco ride realizes how high-energy and outgoing he is. The time away from racing was not easy for him.

“It was very, very difficult,” he said. “I am a very active person. Even on my dark days, I run two or three miles.”

Carrasco has always ridden for a large number of trainers. His goal is to “get back to where I was, winning races,” and to show everyone he is the same rider as before his injury.

“I know it might be slow in the beginning; it always is when you come back from an injury,” he said. “Everyone wants to see that you have your confidence. I believe everything is going to work out well. I am so happy to be back.”