Based on my understanding, thoroughbred jockeys (and standardbred riders) are typically based at a specific racetrack and ride several races a day. However, premier horses will travel from location to location for the big races. For example, American Pharoah has run several races in 2015 all over the country with Victor Espinoza riding him. There is obviously a positive connection between the horse and jockey that has led to incredible success.
When reviewing the results at Monmouth Park on the day of the Haskell, I noticed that Espinoza also rode several other horses in other races that same day. But he doesn’t appear to be based at Monmouth, so how was he able to do this? He certainly would not have been at Monmouth that day if American Pharoah wasn’t running.
I know that in some showjumping competitions, they have to jump the course on each others horses as well. So there are several rounds and they ride all horses. These are all well trained horses off course and you can definitely see that riders have more difficulty riding horses that they don’t ride regularly… but still.
Many trainers have regular riders, but in races where a jockey has more than one trainer for whom he rides, he can only ride one of the horses (duh). Other trainers don’t have many horses and thus have to find a rider for their horses each time they enter a race.
Jockeys have agents who go around to (or call) various trainers who have entered horses and try and get the trainer to use their client. Espinoza rides in California, which is overall a more talented group of jockeys than the ones who ride at Monmouth regularly, and he doesn’t charge more for his services than the regular Monmouth jockeys, so when his agent calls a trainer who needs a jockey because his #1 guy is riding someone else, why not use Victor?
It’s like going to a car rental agency and always getting a Chevy Cruze, and one day walking in and being told “today you can rent a Porsche for the same price as the Chevy”. Of course, you will say yes!
Thanks! With Espinoza at Monmouth on Haskell day, it must have been more like “I’m going to be at Monmouth anyway, so might as well make as much money as I can.” Certainly at the cost of one of the local jockeys. I assume that fatigue isn’t a factor with jockeys? Otherwise, I’m sure that the owner and trainer of American Pharoah would not have allowed him to ride other horses the Haskell. I’m still surprised comsidering that there is always the potential of an injury.
Don’t be so sure. It’s generally considered a good idea for a jockey in a situation like Espinoza to get a couple of rides over a track where they don’t ride much to help familiarize them with how the track is playing; every track is different and is subject to further variation due to weather.
Espinoza rode three horses on Belmont Stakes day before the big race; one of them was at the same 1 1/2 distance as the Belmont; I’ll bet Baffert was thrilled that Victor was able to get a feel for the rarely run distance (he finished third), especially since Espinoza had a poor record at Belmont going into Belmont Day, 4 wins in 73 races, including 2 previous losses with the Triple Crown on the line.
Now that there’s been serious answers for this, I have to say that each time I read the topic title I imagine RFID chips in the jockeys and horses to prevent unauthorized riding.
Fatigue shouldn’t be a factor. Jockeys have to be in excellent physical shape, and the top jockey at a track will often run in most of the races on a card. I see, for instance, that Javier Castellano is scheduled to ride in eight of the ten races at Saratoga today.
Injuries – including career-ending ones – are always a possibility, but they are rare and generally happen if the jockey falls off the horse. The chance to get a feel for a track offsets the potential danger and lets the jockey make more money.
Note, too, that if Espinoza’s at Monmouth, trainers will be lined up to use him. He’s going to be better than most regular jockeys there.
