OZONE PARK, N.Y. – On Jan. 7, trainer Wayne Potts returned to work after being out two weeks due to a bad case of COVID-19. Two days later, he was back in the winner’s circle at Aqueduct, winning his fifth race of the winter meet. It was not the first time recently Potts had rebounded from adversity. :: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more. In August, Potts was barred from racing and stabling at Maryland tracks – where he had been based – due to a perceived association with trainer Marcus Vitali, who a few years ago had been barred from racing at Maryland tracks. Potts was accused by Sal Sinatra, the president and general manager of the Maryland Jockey Club, of being a program trainer for Vitali. Potts has repeatedly denied that claim, saying that the horses he was receiving that had been previously trained by Vitali were from an owner, Carolyn Vogel, for whom Potts also had previously trained. “I got enough horses. I don’t need to be a program trainer for nobody,” Potts said. “It’s stupidity.” Potts, who said he has a home five minutes from Laurel, wound up stabling the remainder of the summer and fall at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. The New York Racing Association allotted him stalls this winter, and with the backing of previous owners and the addition of a few new ones, Potts has built a stable of about 40 horses at Belmont. “Martin Panza gave me an opportunity to come here with 30 horses,” Potts said, referring to NYRA’s senior vice president of racing operations. “We picked up some new clientele, trying to claim better horses. So far, everything’s been great here. I had some owners stand behind me and want to see it succeed.” So far, Potts has succeeded, winning five races from 39 starters, tying him for fourth in the trainer standings. Among his new clients are Bruno Schickedanz, a Canadian-based owner who recently sent Potts 20 horses and who is open to claiming in New York, and Charles Parker, who races under Barak Farm, an owner who has stood behind Potts and is hopeful the trainer will be allowed to race again at Maryland tracks. Parker has mostly Maryland-breds, including the stakes filly Miss Nondescript, and they run for more money at Maryland tracks. “I thought he was unfairly persecuted,” Parker said. “He’s just a good horseman, good with detail, takes good care of the horses. It’s a travesty what they did to him.” Potts said that after he was barred in Maryland that Penn Gaming prevented him from running at Penn National in Pennsylvania and Charles Town in West Virginia. Potts said he recently reached a settlement with Penn Gaming and is hopeful of starting at least one horse at each track soon. Potts said he hopes that leads to being permitted to race in Maryland. “I’d like to get back into Maryland,” he said. “I don’t want to be stabled there. I’m happy here, I’m happy with Monmouth, I just want to be able to run there.” Potts’s banishment from Maryland came about two weeks after he won his first stakes race. He saddled American Sailor, who was put up via disqualification of Imprimis in the Grade 3 Troy Stakes last Aug. 8 at Saratoga. Potts said American Sailor is slated to return in 2021 as a 9-year-old. :: Click to learn about our DRF's Free Past Performance program. Raj Jagnanan, who owns American Sailor, and his wife, Vedhya, are active at the claim box. Vedhya recently claimed Creative Style for $12,500 out of a win Jan. 2. Potts has recently taken an apartment near Belmont Park. He said he was away from his home in Maryland – where he has two daughters, ages 16 and 18 – before going home for Christmas. When he got back to New York, he began to feel sick and was ultimately diagnosed with COVID-19. “It was rough,” he said. “I was laying on the floor. I couldn’t get up for three days, then I went to the hospital.” Now, Potts is back on his feet. Personally and professionally.