The end of one story is the beginning of another.
Canterbury Park Hall of Fame jockey Scott Stevens, seriously injured in a spill at Canterbury on the evening of July 2, returned to the saddle for the first time in yesterday’s 8th race at Turf Paradise. It took Stevens one mount to return to the winners’ circle as he guided favorite Bye Bye Ladies through traffic on the far turn in a one-mile turf claimer before pulling away to a 2 ¾ length victory for trainer Miguel Silva.
“You saw whose horse it was didn’t you?” Stevens asked. Silva trained the horse Scott rode in the spill. “It felt good riding again. I had a root canal Monday and there’s a little infection so I have a tooth that hurts but my body feels good.”
Stevens still lacks feeling in his little finger. Doctors don’t know if that will change. “Luckily it’s the pinky. I use it to hold the whip but the other three fingers hold the reins. It isn’t crucial,” Stevens said.
He is thankful for all the support he has received during the recovery period. “I had a phone full of voicemails last night.” Stevens has one mount today and will certainly pick up more as the Turf Paradise meet unfolds. His courage and determination should be admired. Stevens wants to decide when his riding career will conclude. He looks forward to his return to Shakopee in the spring.
