Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza has had a quiet start to 2021. Through Sunday, Espinoza had won with 2 of 16 mounts, and took an opportunity earlier this month for a vacation to Del Mar. “I was just resting, hanging on the beach at Del Mar,” Espinoza said. “I needed a little break. “I was recharging my energy. Sometimes we need that.” :: Get Brad Free’s Betting Strategies for Saturday’s card at Santa Anita Espinoza was winless with two mounts on Sunday, his first rides since Feb. 6. He is not booked to ride on an eight-race program Friday at Santa Anita. Gaining mounts has been a struggle. Espinoza had 12 rides in January, including a third on Blitzkrieg in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on Jan. 1. Best known as the regular rider of American Pharoah and California Chrome in the last decade, the 48-year-old Espinoza says he is focused more on quality mounts than riding everyday races. His goal this spring is one familiar to many riders – win the Kentucky Derby, which Espinoza has done three times. “I’m trying to find a Derby horse to ride in the near future,” he said. “It’s still a little early. In the next month, we’ll see if there are some horses that could catch my eye.”