Jockey Victor Espinoza to dance with other stars

It was announced August 25 that Del Mar’s own winning jockey, Victor Espinoza, will appear on ABC’s 21st season of Dancing with the Stars. It was Espinoza who rode American Pharaoh in the three races to win the 2015 Triple Crown.

I caught up with Espinoza at the track on August 26, prior to his mount on Coach Q in the third race. He said the show’s producers contacted him after he won the Triple Crown.

“I started practicing on Monday,” said the jockey. “I don’t know who my dance partner is yet.” (The show provides professional dancers to partner with the celebrities.)

Perfect timing, as the racing season ends on September 7, and the two-hour show premiere is on Monday night, September 14. Episodes are usually recorded live for the East Coast, with the viewer-driven results round of dancing broadcast the next evening.

“We’ll be done filming in time for me to be back for the fall meet,” Espinoza said. The Bing Crosby Meet at Del Mar starts October 29.

Other stars this season will include de-famed cooking expert Paula Dean, the Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter, and Bindi Irwin, daughter of deceased explorer Steve Irwin.

While Espinoza was awarded ESPN’s 2015 Jockey of the Year, he has yet to crack the top-ten finishers at this Del Mar season. Yet, on August 26, Espinoza placed in the money for most of his seven races, including an easy win in the sixth aboard Real Big Deal. Before the race, the horse’s owner, Dennis Greenier, jokingly said Espinoza doesn’t make more money now that he’s about to become a dancing star.

Assumptions by those at the track are that Espinoza hasn’t had that many mounts in Del Mar’s season. “After winning the Triple Crown, he probably doesn’t need to race every day,” said one insider.

This past Sunday, August 23, prior to the announcement by Dancing with the Stars producers, Espinoza, between races, appeared on the dirt track in front of the big Del Mar tote board for the staged photo shoot. Joining Espinoza was the popular disco ball that appears in episodes of the dance program.

“I thought it looked familiar,” said the track’s longtime winner’s circle flower girl, Connie Broge. “Now we know why the photos were taken.”

Broge said this has been a great year for horse racing.

“All the news is positive. It shows our industry in a positive light; the Triple Crown and now Victor going on TV.”