NEW ROLE — DeShawn Parker, the all-time leading rider at Mountaineer, will be part of the West Virginia Derby broadcast on Sunday. . - Coady Media

DeShawn Parker, the all-time leading rider at Mountaineer, will make a special appearance on West Virginia Derby Day Sunday, providing commentary and insights along with Nancy McMichael on the in-house simulcast production.

Parker has been on the sidelines due to an injury he suffered during training hours at Horseshoe Indianapolis on April 17. Parker, a winner of more than 6,200 races thus far, underwent surgery for numerous broken ribs.

The popular rider who has a home locally visited Mountaineer July 30 along with McMichael to get some practice and prepare for production. He was in good spirits and reported that though his recovery is going very well, he’s not sure when he will return to riding.

McMichael, a former trainer at Mountaineer who won with her final starter in November 2006, served as the co-host of the local simulcast show for many years. There will be commentary, and perhaps some interviews, during the show that will begin before the first race post time of 5 p.m.

Another nationally prominent jockey will be on hand on Derby Day. In a change made shortly after the draw for entries, it was announced that John Velazquez will ride graded stakes-placed McAfee in the West Virginia Derby.

Velazquez, a winner of more than 6,700 races and whose mounts have earned more than $500 million, was aboard McAfee for the Grade III Ohio Derby, in which he finished third, and the Grade III Peter Pan Stakes, in which he took the lead late but fell three-quarters of a length short of the win.

Velazquez was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2012 and has won two Eclipse Awards as outstanding jockey of the year in 2004 and 2005.