Jockey Shane Sellers, who announced his retirement in August after aborting a comeback attempt from knee trouble, has been exercising horses at Arlington Park over the past week and is planning to return to the races during the Churchill Downs fall meet, which begins on October 27.Sellers will return to his home in Louisville on Wednesday and continue to ride in the mornings at Keeneland Race Course and Churchill Downs.

"His knee hasn't been bothering him too much, and I think he feels like he's not too far away," said Fred Aime, Sellers's agent. "Hopefully it will be early in the meet."

Sellers, who tore ligaments in his left knee during a post parade accident at Fair Grounds in December 2000, ended a comeback bid after a month of riding last fall because of pain from the injury.

He prepared for another comeback this spring, spending a month as an exercise rider at Saratoga Race Course, but withdrew again this summer, citing pain and mounting frustration over weight issues for jockeys. Sellers is a staunch supporter of a five-pound increase on the bottom end of the scale of weights for jockeys.

Sellers was the nation's third-leading rider in 2000. He has ridden 3,720 winners during his career, which began in 1983. His mounts have earned purses totaling $108,671,161. –Jeff Lowe