Apprentices Espinoza, Figueroa keeping competition friendly

Last year, when Assael Espinoza worked as an exercise rider for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer at Santa Anita, he was tardy only once.

“He was late by five minutes,” recalls Dan Ward, Hollendorfer’s assistant.

Espinoza’s Uber driver had been pulled over in the pre-dawn journey, delaying his arrival.

“He had a note from the police,” Ward said.

On the other side of the continent, in Puerto Rico, Heriberto Figueroa was another early riser, attending a jockey’s school in his native country, and rapidly gaining attention. Not long after he started riding in Puerto Rico, Figueroa left for Gulfstream Park.

Espinoza and Figueroa, both 18 and born 22 days apart in December 1999, met when Figueroa relocated from Florida to Southern California in late April. In the last four months, they have been inseparable – in the rankings of the nation’s leading apprentice jockeys and especially in the standings at major meetings in Southern California. Along the way, the two young men say they have become friends.

They each cracked the top 15 at the Santa Anita spring-summer meeting, and tied for the riding title at the Los Alamitos summer meeting. Through Sunday, Espinoza and Figueroa were among the top five at the tough Del Mar meeting that ended Monday.

Thursday, they are back at Los Alamitos for the 12-day Los Angeles County Fair meeting that runs through Sept. 23. Espinoza and Figueroa are expected to contend for the title at a meeting some of the circuit’s leading jockeys ride sparingly, or skip entirely.

As the end of the year draws closer, their seasons will be closely scrutinized. One is likely to earn the Eclipse Award as the outstanding apprentice jockey of 2018.

The riders have influential supporters. Hollendorfer, for one, rides Espinoza on occasion. Through Sunday, Espinoza had ridden five winners at Del Mar for Hollendorfer.

“I think he’s learned a lot and I think he’s learning,” Hollendorfer said. “If anyone has the ability to learn, he would. He wants to do it.

“We think he’s better on dirt, but he’s learning the turf course. My impression is he has good instincts that you can’t teach a rider.”

Peter Miller, the leading trainer at the Del Mar summer meeting, frequently uses Figueroa in workouts and races. Of Figueroa’s 19 winners at Del Mar through Sunday, 10 were trained by Miller.

“He’s a good rider,” Miller said. “He listens and pays attention. He gets better. I see it. He works horses for me two or three days a week. I see improvement all around.”

Espinoza, who grew up in California and Mexico, has a background in racing. His father, Leo, is a retired jockey and his uncle is Victor Espinoza, the regular rider of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome earlier this decade. Both Assael and Victor Espinoza are represented by agent Brian Beach.

Assael Espinoza lived with Victor Espinoza during Del Mar. They spent considerable time together, especially after Victor Espinoza suffered a severe neck injury in a July training accident. Time is put aside each day to watch race videos.

“He watches all my races,” Assael Espinoza said. “When I do something wrong, he tells me what I did and what I need to work on.”

Those lessons included a review of an incident Aug. 4 when Espinoza caused interference in the stretch of a turf race that led to a two-horse spill and veteran jockey Corey Nakatani being sidelined. Espinoza was given a 10-day suspension, which is under appeal.

The accident overshadowed an otherwise excellent summer for Espinoza, who credits morning workouts with playing a key role in his success, particularly early at the Del Mar meeting.

“In the first two weeks, I rode five or six a day in the morning and rode seven or eight races,” he said. “When you work hard, you get paid off.”

Figueroa had a fine start at Del Mar, winning three races Aug. 3, the second three-win day of his career, and two races on July 28 and Aug. 10.

“It’s shocking to be doing as well here,” he said through a translator, his agent Norberto Arroyo Jr.

“This is the toughest place to ride in the world.”

Figueroa speaks limited English, but has made progress in that capacity in recent months. He says having a friendly rival such as Espinoza has made him a better rider.

“We’re good friends,” Figueroa said.

Often, they are competing for the same mounts, particularly from stables seeking the five-pound deduction Espinoza and Figueroa are allowed to claim as apprentices.

“It’s good competition,” Figueroa said. “It gives me strength to get better.”

At Los Alamitos this month, Espinoza and Figueroa will seek the second riding titles of their brief careers. There is a year-end trophy to pursue.