Less than a month into a self-imposed break, jockey Mark Johnston is riding at Turf Paradise while visiting former Maryland-based rider Seth Martinez in Arizona.

"It just kind of happened," said Johnston, 32, who has 3,032 career victories and an Eclipse Award on his resume. "I went to the track with Seth just looking to ride some horses in the morning to try and stay reasonably fit. After talking to his agent, I found myself with a mount in a stakes race."

After visiting his mother in Kentucky, Johnston is expected to return to his Columbia home in late February, but he hasn't set a timetable for a full-time return.