The profession of jockey Victor Espinoza almost resulted in a spill at Del Mar throughout morning coaching in the summertime of 2018.
This weekend, he tries to make some happier Del Mar recollections. The veteran jockey has three Breeders’ Cup mounts Nov. 6, his deepest slate of Breeders’ Cup rides since his fracturing his C3 vertebra in that fall greater than three years in the past.
Saturday, he rides Ce Ce in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), Astronaut in the $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T), and Express Train in the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
The 49-year-old considers himself fortunate to be in the saddle, and for that matter, walking. When breezing Bobby Abu Dhabi at Del Mar in July 2018, the horse was fatally injured, and Espinoza crashed to the track. Paramedics transported the jockey to the hospital.
“In one second, my life was upside down,” he said. “But I got really lucky. I was so close to being paralyzed.”
In the course of the preliminary levels of his restoration, he lacked feeling in his left arm and required help with easy life abilities equivalent to getting out and in of mattress. He resumed driving seven months after his fall.
WATCH: Espinoza Discusses Career, Breeders’ Cup Mounts, Recovery From Injury
As of late, Espinoza can depend the blessings of his Corridor of Fame profession, together with successful three runnings of the Kentucky Derby (G1), highlighted by piloting American Pharoah through his sweep of the Triple Crown in 2015. Horse and rider also added a Breeders’ Cup Classic victory that year at Keeneland, the newest of three Breeders’ Cup wins for Espinoza.
“We’re at all times searching for a horse like American Pharoah to experience,” Espinoza mentioned. “It was a enjoyable experience.”
His mounts Saturday are all graded stakes winners this 12 months. Bo Hirsch’s Ce Ce, a twin grade 1 winner final 12 months underneath Espinoza and coach Michael McCarthy, is 3-for-5 in 2021 and more likely to be the third betting favourite within the Filly & Mare Dash behind Gamine and Bella Sofia .
Ce Ce wins the Chillingworth Stakes beneath Victor Espinoza at Santa Anita Park
“She’s a little bit—picky,” he said. “It has to go her way if the track is good.”
According to McCarthy and Espinoza, Ce Ce is not at her best on heavier surfaces. Her jockey believes she will like the condition of the main track at Del Mar this week.
John B. O’Connor’s Astronaut and C R K Stable’s Express Train are local stakes winners trained by John Shirreffs. Astronaut took the Del Mar Handicap Presented by the Japan Racing Association (G2T) on the grass, Express Train the San Diego Handicap (G2) over the main track.
“Astronaut is awesome. He ran a big, big race here at Del Mar, the last time he won,” Espinoza said.
The jockey has never ridden Express Train during a race. He replaces Juan Hernandez, who had been aboard him for eight consecutive starts dating back to a runner-up finish in last winter’s Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1).
“Victor and I have a close relationship, and we decided that having a rider with all his experience in important races would be to our advantage,” Shirreffs said. “He’s won a lot of big ones, and we have a great deal of confidence in him.”
Victor Espinoza breezes Express Train at Santa Anita Park
“I worked him one time,” Espinoza said of Express Train. “I was really impressed by him. He looks great. I’m excited. (We’ll) see if he can run his best race in the Classic.”
Espinoza entered the Del Mar meet that began Nov. 3 with an 18-for-133 record in 2021 with his mounts making $1.6 million, well behind tallies from his peak years. Only when injured in 2018 has Espinoza ridden fewer than 33 winners in a year.
“I probably learned in my long life and career, you just can’t give up,” he said of his return from injury. “You got to keep going. It’s just a matter of time if your body will take you there and be normal. For me, it was not easy, but I feel lucky just to come back.”
