Assael Espinoza heads to Oaklawn looking for more opportunities

Assael Espinoza, a leading rider in Northern California in recent years, has relocated to Oaklawn Park in Arkansas in advance of the track’s lucrative winter-spring meeting that opens on Dec. 12.

Espinoza has not ridden in California since Oct. 5. He said earlier this week that he spent much of October visiting family in Mexico before working horses earlier this month at Churchill Downs. Espinoza had one mount at Churchill on Nov. 15 before moving to Hot Springs, Ark., to prepare for the Oaklawn meeting.

“I took a break to visit my family,” he said. “I wanted to start with a fresh mindset.”

This week, Espinoza said he has been actively working horses for several trainers, and introducing himself to participants on a new circuit.

“It was good, honestly,” he said of the recent vacation. “I started working with more intention.

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“So far, so good. I’ve been working a lot of horses.”

Espinoza, 25, was the leading rider at the final meeting at Golden Gate Fields from December 2023 to June 2024 and rode on the fair circuit in Northern California during the second half of 2024.

Espinoza moved to Southern California last December, but struggled to gain a position among the leading riders. In the last year, Espinoza has won 22 races at Santa Anita, seven at Los Alamitos, and three at Del Mar.

California has three days of racing on most weeks of the year. Espinoza said he found limited opportunities.

Earlier this fall, he formed a plan to head to Oaklawn for the first time.

“Things didn’t go as expected,” he said of his time in Southern California this year.

“I rode a few horses from up north. It’s weird. You have three days of racing and not many horses. It doesn’t give you many chances to win races. Your options are limited.

“It’s like everything - you have to be riding for the right people.”

Boosted by casino revenue, Oaklawn has substantially higher purses than California tracks, which do not have a source of ancillary revenue for prize money.

“With these nice purses, everyone is excited,” he said. “Everyone is giving me a chance so far. I hope I can get a few live mounts on opening weekend.”

Espinoza, who has won 721 races in a career that began in 2018, is not the only former Northern California-based rider to leave California since racing ceased in the northern part of the state last December.

Of the other nine riders in the top 10 at the 2023-2024 Golden Gate Fields meeting, Alexander Chavez has relocated to Ohio, Frank Alvarado and Adrian Castellanos are based at Turf Paradise, Santos Rivera has been based at Remington Park, and Evin Roman has ridden in Indiana and Kentucky.

Luis Aburto Jimenez has not ridden since April. Hugo Herrera last rode in Oregon in June. Irving Orozco was sidelined after an injury at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, Calif., in August 2024.

Only William Antongeorgi has remained active in California in recent months. He rode Grand Slam Smile to a stakes win at Del Mar on Nov. 9.

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