Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer 
Henry
FORMER CHAMPION jockey Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry returns to the saddle tomorrow after recovering from multiple injuries sustained in a spill at Caymanas Park in the Red Stripe Superstakes on November 13 last year. Henry has taken only one ride on the Jockeys' Guild of Jamaica 11-race programme, namely, INTROSPECTION for trainer Welsh Soutar in the fifth race. This being a day for the jockeys, one of the races (the second) will be run in honour of Henry, who was champion jockey in 1997.
The talented lightweight, who celebrated his 30th birthday on February 19 (sharing the same birthday with champion jockey Trevor Simpson), broke his right forearm and right ankle when decked by his mount GOOD TO GO in the latter stages of the Superstakes, won by subsequent 'Horse of the Year' DISTINCTLY IRISH.
The mishap occurred when Simpson?s mount STEROFABULOUS snapped a foreleg leaving the quarter pole and fell. According to Henry, GOOD TO GO, who was not far behind at that stage, just managed to avoid the scrimmage, but immediately after he ran down towards the rails. I switched the whip to my left hand in order to correct him". he recalls.. "But all of a sudden, he swerved out sharply from under me and I took a heavy fall. I broke my right forearm and right ankle in the fall".
METAL PLATE IN FOREARM
Continuing, Henry said he had to see a specialist in New York for treatment.
"The doctor inserted a metal plate in my forearm and the cast was taken off my arm and foot some weeks ago. Right now I am OK. The therapy sessions since I arrived in Jamaica five weeks ago have helped me to recover almost fully and I am not only back in the saddle but intend to ride here on a regular basis this year,"he explained.
Henry flew into the island on Friday, February 10 from his base in Atlanta, Georgia. having relocated from New York to Attanta with his wife and two kids on February 5.
'Callaloo' said it will be more convenient to commute back and forth. The jockey, who has the distinction of being the fastest to notch a first 100 winners, graduated from the Jockeys' School in 1996 along with batchmates Shane Ellis, Leo Miller and Richie Mitchell and won the jockeys' title the following year, his first full season in the saddle. Despite breaking his right leg on four separate occasions and having to be forced on the sidelined for long periods, Henry says it's all in the game.
Over the years he has had the enviable record of winning races at more tracks in North American than any other Jamaican jockey, including the legendary George HoSang, Charles Hussey and Andrew Ramgeet.
"I have won races at Aqueduct and Saratoga in New York, as well as Calder and Hialeah in Miami, Pimlico in Maryland, Sam Houston and Lone Star Park in Texas, the Woodlands in Kansas City and Meadowlands in New Jersey," he says.
Henry has also ridden winners at Santa Rosa in Trinidad and the Garrison Savannah in Barbados. He has so far ridden 426 winners locally.
