“I have some hardware in the shoulder from a previous injury, so I just took a couple days off,” Russell said. “I’m just going to take it day by day and make sure everything’s good before I get back to riding. I’m on a horse Friday so I’m really just trying to take it day by day. I’ll get on a couple more and maybe breeze a few just to make sure everything’s good.”

A seven-time meet-leading jockey in Maryland who was the state’s overall champion in 2011, the 34-year-old Russell was shaken up when Raise Your Game, a 3-year-old filly trained by Mike Gorham, stumbled badly one jump out of the starting gate for the six-furlong claiming event and caused Russell to lose his balance. Raise Your Game was walked off the course without incident.

Russell’s career has been beset by injuries, but when healthy, he has consistently been among the top Maryland riders. His mounts have earned more than $44 million and won five graded stakes.

A winner of 1,544 career races, Russell went 296 days between races following surgery and rehabilitation for a right foot injury before winning in his July 1 return at Laurel.

John Middleton’s Ellie Victorina, making her fourth career start, is favored at 3-1 on the morning line from Post 9 in a field of 10.