Sellers returns from 4 1/2-year hiatus

Jockey Shane Sellers, who announced his retirement 4 1/2 years ago due to a

severe knee injury, will return to the saddle on Thursday night at Evangeline

Downs. The 42-year-old Louisiana native will ride the Mark Guidry-trained Ide

Ball (Ide) in the 1ST race.

Sellers, who was 16 when he recorded his first victory at the old Evangeline

Downs Racetrack in 1983, emerged as one of North America's leading riders during

the 1990s, earning riding titles at Keeneland and Arlington Park. His career

highlights include two Breeders' Cup victories, the 1997 Juvenile Fillies (G1)

aboard champion Countess Diana and the 1998 Turf (G1) with champion Buck's Boy.

He also guided eventual Horse of the Year Skip Away early in his stellar career,

winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and finishing second in the Preakness (G1)

during the 1996 season.

Sellers retired in December 2004 after recording 4,069 wins and $122,431,794

in earnings. He accumulated 149 graded stakes victories.

"I'm healthy in both mind and spirit and am ready to do what I love, I

started my career here in Louisiana and I plan on riding here and at Louisiana

Downs and the Fair Grounds when this meet ends," Sellers said.

This is not the first comeback for the outspoken and controversial jockey,

who battled injuries and weight issues for most of his career.

In addition to his riding accomplishments, Sellers tried his hand as a

country music singer, releasing his debut album Matthew, Mark, Luke and

Earnhardt in 2001. In 2004, he was featured prominently in the Home Box

Office documentary "Jockey," which earned director Kate Davis a Primetime

Emmy for Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming in addition to two

other Emmy nominations. In 2008, Sellers, along with co-author Tricia Psarreas

released his autobiography, Freedom's Rein.

Sellers will be represented by agent Jon Anthony Martin, the son of longtime

agent Tony Martin, who guided the early career of the 2007 Eclipse Award-winning

apprentice Joe Talamo.