Jevian Toledo returns to race riding Sunday after April injury

Journeyman Jevian Toledo, Maryland’s four-time annual wins leader that has been out of action since April 21 recovering from a collarbone injury, received medical clearance Friday and will make his long-awaited return to riding Sunday at Laurel Park.

Toledo, 29, is named in two of the three stakes worth $250,000 in purses on Sunday’s nine-race program: the $75,000 Ben’s Cat aboard defending champion Witty and $75,000 Jameela on Bay Street. Both scheduled six-furlong turf sprints are for Maryland-bred or sired horses.

A Puerto Rico native, Toledo had initially been named to ride Donald Reuwer Jr.’s Big Wanda for trainer Katy Voss in Race 2 Saturday, a claiming sprint for maiden fillies and mares ages 3, 4 and 5, when entries came out last weekend. The 3-year-old Maryland-bred is now being ridden by Jeiron Barbosa.

Sunday will mark the first races for Toledo since being hurt in a spill at Laurel Park when he was unseated after his mount, Jackie A, tripped over fellow rider J.G. Torrealba and Bourbon and Ice, who stumbled and fell while in tight quarters at the top of the stretch.

The riders were taken to University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center. Then a five-pound apprentice, Torrealba was released and returned the next racing day, finishing as the spring meet’s leading jockey. Toledo, tied for second in the standings at the time of the spill, was subsequently sent to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.

Since his collarbone was dislocated on the inside rather than outside, Toledo underwent a minor surgery to repair the issue. A month later he was having physical therapy two times a week and began swimming before getting back on horses. Toledo got the official green light to return during a doctor’s appointment Friday.

“Everything is good. I’m feeling great,” Toledo said. “I got X-rayed today and the X-ray was perfect. I’m going to ride Sunday and hopefully everything goes well.”

Represented by agent Marty Leonard, Toledo patiently followed his medical advice and is gradually getting himself back into the swing of things, starting in the mornings.

“They didn’t want me to fall, so I started swimming and getting fitter. I was getting on the Equicizer and getting on a couple horses in the morning at a farm and was feeling good,” Toledo said. “I’m going to work a couple horses tomorrow at Fair Hill and then Sunday morning work a few at Laurel, as well.”

Toledo, who turns 30 Aug. 20, led all Maryland riders in wins at Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course in 2015, 2017, 2021 and 2022. The 10-time meet champion rode 130 winners in the state last year, finishing third behind Jaime Rodriguez (166) and Barbosa (137), and earned a career-high $8.19 million in purses overall.

Greycross Stable homebred Bay Street is stakes-placed on dirt, having run third in Laurel’s March 16 Conniver under Toledo. The 4-year-old daughter of Mosler trained by Voss made her first three starts on the grass, graduating with Toledo aboard in a one-mile waiver maiden claimer last fall at Laurel.

Toledo has ridden Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Elizabeth Merryman’s Witty, a Grade 2-placed six-time stakes winner, five times with four wins and one second. Three of those victories have come in stakes: the 2023 Ben’s Cat and Maryland Million Turf Sprint and April 20 King T. Leatherbury.

“He’s a really nice horse. Hopefully everything goes well,” Toledo said. “I’m excited.”

So, too, is Merryman, who bred and trains the half-brother to retired multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire mare Caravel. They drew the outermost post in an overflow field of 12 that includes main-track-only entrant Arden’sluckytobe and Witty’s sibling and stablemate, Mission Man.

“It’s great. Nobody knows Witty like him. Whenever he’d run I’d say, ‘I wish the rider had had a ride on him and knew him better,’” Merryman said. “It’s very exciting to have Jevian back in action. I’m very happy for him that he’s healed and ready for a return to the races.”

One shy of his 1,600th career win, Toledo has banked more than $55 million in purse earnings and owns four graded-stakes victories including his first Grade 1 in the 2023 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct with Doppelganger for Laurel-based trainer Brittany Russell.