Gomez aims to be back in time for Out of Bounds

Garrett Gomez was a visitor to Clockers' Corner at Santa Anita Sunday

morning, sporting crutches but otherwise in good shape as he recovers from a

broken left heel leaving the Seabiscuit Walking Ring for the Grade 3 Daytona

Stakes on January 8.

The Eclipse Award-winning rider and four-time national money leader hopes to

resume riding in time to pilot Grade 3 Sham Stakes winner Out of Bounds in the

Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 10.

"I was a little disappointed last Sunday because I felt like I wasn't making

the progress that I wanted to make," the 40-year-old Tucson native said. "Then

they took the stitches out on Tuesday and that gave me more freedom as far as

what I could do.

"I started pedaling a (stationary) bike and I'm up to eight miles already. I

swam a little in the pool yesterday for the first time and lifted weights for my

legs, my thighs and my calves to build up muscle, because when they do surgery,

your muscles tend to atrophy. So I have to build up the muscles.

"I'm able to get up on my feet and stand without crutches. Now it's just a

matter of making sure the injury heals and not overdoing what I'm doing, yet

still do enough to improve the range of motion."

Gomez has had to make an emotional adjustment, as well as physical.

"I can't look back at what I lost," he said. "It's a matter of looking to the

future and how fast I can come back. I'm trying to make sure I'm back in time

for Out of Bounds to run. I want to have three-year-old options to try an reach

my ultimate goal of winning the Kentucky Derby."