Espinoza will ride on Summit of Speed card

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Victor Espinoza, the jockey of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, will accept mounts at Gulfstream Park on the Summit of Speed program July 5.

“I’m very much looking forward to a return to south Florida and Gulfstream Park,” said Espinoza, who completed the Triple Crown sweep aboard American Pharoah with a convincing victory in the Belmont Stakes. “If I remember right, my last time there was the Breeders’ Cup of 1999.”

Espinoza, who rode Kirkwall to an eighth-place finish in the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Mile, will sign autographs for charity prior to the Summit of Speed card.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming Victor Espinoza to Gulfstream Park over the Fourth of July weekend,” said P.J. Campo, vice president of racing for The Stronach Group and general manager of Gulfstream Park.

The $1.175 million Summit of Speed card will be highlighted by the Grade 2 Smile Sprint and Grade 2 Princess Rooney handicaps.

Nominations close Sunday for the Summit of Speed program. The early list of nominees for the six-furlong Smile Sprint includes reigning sprint champion and Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Work All Week, Private Zone, Salutos Amigos, and Social Inclusion.

Among the fillies already nominated for the Princess Rooney are Merry Meadow and La Verdad, along with the locally based pair of R Free Roll and the much-improved Flutterby.

“We’re expecting a lot more nominations to come in for both races before the deadline on Sunday,” said stakes coordinator Mike Costanzo.