Victor Espinoza Back in the Saddle at Santa Anita

Portions of the tight-knit community in the Santa Anita Park barn area paused for a few moments Jan. 5.

As Victor Espinoza made his way out to the main track from trainer John Sadler's barn aboard St. Joe Bay—the first time the jockey has even touched a horse since his nearly catastrophic injury at Del Mar in July—his backside compatriots took notice.

On the path out to the track, groups of grooms stepped out of barns to wish him well. Trainer Karen Headley, aboard a pony, squealed with delight as the Hall of Fame rider went by. As St. Joe Bay continued to make his way out to the main track through the maze of the Santa Anita barn area, seemingly every exercise rider chirped at Espinoza, most ribbing the 46-year-old in Spanish.

"It feels great. The guys—they're happy to see me come back," Espinoza said after he hopped off the grade 2 winner. "A lot of the times, when accidents happen, they start talking about the worst—not exactly what happens, but sometimes they think it's worse than what actually happens. And until you get back, they don't really know. … It was nice to hear. (And the trash talk) is going to be at the top of the list. I mean, it's the track. … It would be unusual if they didn't do that."

Espinoza appeared a touch nervous, considering his normally ebullient energy, as he sipped coffee and fiddled with his whip in Sadler's shedrow before the work, but the trainer attempted to relax the jockey as he introduced the rider who would serve as St. Joe Bay's workmate, Angel Cruz.

 "He's a young rider, and we don't know if he's any good yet," Sadler joked to Espinoza. "So check him out for me."

It's been a long path back for Espinoza, who fractured his C3 vertebra after he hit the ground at Del Mar July 22 while working Bobby Abu Dhabi, whose breakdown that day was fatal.

BALAN: Espinoza Injured After Bobby Abu Dhabi's Fatal Incident

"I don't even think about what happened," Espinoza said. "I'm just thinking about how I feel now and going forward. It's just good to start. Now it's done. Now you have to go forward."

Espinoza's agent, Brian Beach, said Espinoza probably won't get back on another horse until next weekend, as the rider is still going through physical therapy near his home at Del Mar. Beach said Espinoza was only cleared to step up his exercise from walking to jogging a few weeks ago.

"That was probably the hardest part for him. He's a workout fiend," Beach said. "So being restricted from that was probably the biggest thing."

St. Joe Bay's work went without issue, and that was by design. Sadler wanted to give Espinoza a horse who was manageable and talented, and the Saint Anddan gelding fit best.

"Everybody loves him, and the exercise boys like to breeze him," Sadler said of St. Joe Bay. "He's a nice horse and he's a nice, easy ride, so that's why we put him on that one. I'm not going to put him on one who is going to pull too hard or is nutty.

"They asked if (Espinoza) could work one, and I was happy to do it. I didn't get to talk to him that much, but he looks like himself—bright and happy."

The drill will show up on the work tab in plain black and white—five furlongs in 1:00 1/5—but those who watched Saturday will know its significance.

"It's always fun to be around the horses because the horse is an amazing animal," Espinoza said. "In the good and the bad times, the horse is always happy to see you. No matter how you feel inside, or what you're going through, the horses make your day better."