comeback

He's 61, hasn't ridden since 2016 and recently had a knee replaced. For most, this would be the time to enjoy retirement and look back on a career that carried him to the heights of his profession. But Pat Valenzuela doesn't see it that way. He's been working horses at Del Mar and Santa Anita, says he feels good and is seriously contemplating making a comeback. "I'm a little heavy now, so I don't know if I'll be able to do the weight," he said. "But I'm sure going to...

Patrick Canchari climbed aboard a horse earlier this month at Canterbury Park and led it briefly around the backstretch. That may not seem like a lot, but after he suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car wreck in March of 2020, one that doctors told his family could keep him in a vegetated state the rest of his life, it was a huge step in a recovery that continues to defy all predictions. "He's been making some good really progress," said his sister and legal guardian, Ashley Canchari. "Him...