Good Feelings Still Flowing for Espinoza

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Photo: Benoit Photo
Victor Espinoza is scheduled to ride Santa Anita Derby winner Gormley in this year's Belmont Stakes

By Julie Witt

When Victor Espinoza returns to ride in the Belmont Stakes (G1) June 10 at Belmont Park for the first time since guiding American Pharoah   to a Triple Crown sweep in 2015, the memory of that day will still be fresh. 

In fact the seven-time classic winner can't imagine a day when the 5 1/2-length score aboard American Pharoah—and the crowd reaction that followed after the first Triple Crown in 37 years—will not be fresh. 

It's a memory powerful enough to push more frustrating days—Triple Crown tries that came up short with War Emblem in 2002 and California Chrome   in 2014—to the back of his mind. In fact, part of Espinoza's approach is to allow the positive feelings to outweigh the days when things didn't go his way.

"There are a lot of memories, a lot of good memories and also bad memories too, from before," Espinoza said. "So I balanced it out ... but the last one was great. It was a great, great memory ... it's one of the things I will never forget."  

After not starting in the 1 1/2-mile classic last year, Southern California-based Espinoza is scheduled to return in the 149th Belmont Stakes aboard Gormley, who finished ninth under Espinoza in this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). Before that race, Espinoza guided the son of Malibu Moon   to a victory in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) for trainer John Shirreffs.

The rider said Jerry and Ann Moss' Gormley is talented, even if he's been inconsistent.

"Gormely is a nice horse and (he's) interesting because (sometimes) he performs the way he is supposed to and sometimes he has performed, a little bit, you know, poor," Espinoza said.

He said the colt had no excuse in the Derby, despite minor traffic trouble, and simply did not run his race.

"I was just going with the flow (into) the first turn. I (didn't) feel like he was even trying to run... He (didn't) even try and it's the worst thing because I'm thinking there's still a long way to go," he said.

While that race may have been frustrating, the jockey is confident that Gormley, bred by Castleton Lyons and Kilboy Estate, can deliver a better effort in the year's final classic. 

"Young horses are still learning," Espinoza said. "As of right now, he has (had) a few weeks off (to) train—and he's training very well. I worked him (May 27) six furlongs (in 1:14) and he'd lost a little bit of weight from the Derby. But he's recovered and seems like he's gone in the right direction." 

Espinoza thinks the extra distance will be to the colt's liking and believes Gormley has mellowed out, which could allow him to conserve energy in the 1 1/2-mile test when the starting gates open Saturday. 

Going into the race thinking about the reasons Gormley can bounce back to his grade 1-winning form is typical for Espinoza, who was elected to the Racing Hall of Fame in April with the induction ceremony scheduled for August.

"I like to think positive and not think negative because, don't forget, as a jockey we all have the pressure and all the weight for everyone," Espinoza said, noting that it's possible to overthink a race. "It's all in your mind. You start to think about so many things. I just like to go out there and have fun and watch fun things and just laugh and talk to other people, (hear) what they think and what their opinions are.

"Sometimes people, they talk negative; I just walk away. I don't say anything. I just walk away because I don't want to hear that. I want to hear all positive things."