Jockey Geovanni Franco is preparing for a return to riding at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 after a five-month absence caused by injury. Franco has not ridden since he was unseated at Del Mar on July 26, sustaining injuries that included a fractured shoulder. He resumed exercising horses at Santa Anita earlier this month. “I felt very good on a couple of workers,” Franco said last weekend. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Franco, 33, was unseated when Smooth Salute was knocked into the rail in a turf race, an incident caused by a chain reaction of interference. Franco also sustained swelling in a knee and underwent physical therapy in recent months. This year, Franco has won 37 races. He has 1,039 career wins, including the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes with Fault at Santa Anita in 2018, the Grade 1 Beholder Mile with Secret Spice at Santa Anita the following year, and the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar in 2023 on Senor Buscador. The Dec. 26 program at Santa Anita is the opening day of the track’s winter-spring meeting. Jack Carava, who books mounts on behalf of Franco, said the rider is likely to gain momentum as the season begins. “I don’t expect to ride a lot of horses since we’re starting back,” Carava said of opening day. “I expect to ride a horse here or there and let it pick up as it goes.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.