For the second time in less than two years, jockey Assael Espinoza has relocated from Northern to Southern California. Espinoza rode in Southern California in the summer of 2023 before moving to the north to ride the final year at Golden Gate Fields, which closed permanently in June. After riding on the summer and fall fair circuit in Northern California earlier this year, and at the Golden State Racing meeting that began at Pleasanton in October, Espinoza moved to Southern California this week. “I decided to move down here,” he said on Friday. “Things are not the same up there after they shut down Golden Gate Fields.” At Los Alamitos this weekend, Espinoza has two mounts on Friday, one on Saturday, and three on Sunday, including Musical Number in the $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes for statebred 2-year-old fillies. Espinoza, 24, was the leading rider at the final Golden Gate Fields meeting, which was held from last December to early June. On the fair circuit this year, Espinoza finished in a tie for fifth at Pleasanton, won the riding title at Sacramento, finished in a tie for first with Alexander Chavez at Santa Rosa, and was second in the standings at Fresno. :: Get the Inside Track with the FREE DRF Morning Line Email Newsletter. Subscribe now.  At the current Golden State Racing meeting, Espinoza was fourth in the standings through Sunday with 15 wins, six less than leader Luis Jimenez. Unlike the summer of 2023, when he stayed briefly in Southern California, Espinoza said he wants to devote more time to establishing a presence in Southern California in coming weeks and months at the Santa Anita’s winter-spring meeting, which begins on Dec. 26. Espinoza won two races from 53 mounts at the 2023 Del Mar summer meeting. “The plan was to come just for the summer,” he said of 2023. “I didn’t want to ride the fairs that year. Now, it’s full time. “I have to be among the best. I’m young and I feel like I can compete among the best.” Espinoza rode in Southern California at the start of his career in 2018 and moved to Northern California in early 2021, quickly rising to a prominent position on that circuit. Espinoza is moving at a time when the long-term future of racing in Northern California is unclear. The current Golden State Racing meeting ends on Dec. 15. Organizers have not formally applied for a winter-spring meeting with the California Horse Racing Board but are expected to present a proposal for racing dates at the racing board’s meeting on Dec. 19. Organizers have said they would like to start a winter-spring meeting at Pleasanton on Dec. 26. In Southern California, Espinoza will be represented by Brian Beach, who will continue to book mounts for Kazushi Kimura. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.