U.K. champion jockey De Sousa set to ride in U.S.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Silvestre de Sousa has gone from hunted to hunter.

De Sousa, champion jockey in the United Kingdom for 2015 with 132 victories, made his first visit Friday morning to Belmont Park, where he intends to start riding next week. Along with his agent, Seth Benzel, de Sousa was making the rounds Friday and trying to drum up business for his attempt at succeeding in North America.

“It’s a challenge,” said de Sousa. “Nobody knows me over here. In the U.K., I get rides automatically. They’re after me. Now, I’m after the rides. Over there, I’ll have a full book every day.”

De Sousa hopes to begin riding Thursday at Belmont and should be able to pick up ample business Friday and Saturday, when many of New York’s regular riders are at the Breeders’ Cup.

De Sousa plans to ride at Aqueduct through the fall meet before he and Benzel assess whether to stay here for the winter or move to Gulfstream Park.

“We’re going to be here through Dec. 1 and look forward to using that time to dictate what we do from there,” said Benzel.

DeSousa, 34, said he always wanted to ride in the U.S. and had planned to come during the summer. While he waited for the paperwork that would enable him to work in the U.S. to get in order, the U.K.’s leading jockey, Ryan Moore, got hurt, opening the door for de Sousa to pick up significant business in Great Britain.

“A couple of good yards got behind me, so I decided to have a go for the title,” said de Sousa said. “It was unfortunate that Ryan got hurt, but there were still a lot of contenders to beat.”

Though European racing is conducted right-handed and on turf, de Sousa said he’s had plenty of experience riding left-handed and on dirt.

“I don’t see that being a problem,” he said.

De Sousa said he’s committed to riding on the East Coast for at least five or six months.

“I’m pretty much focusing here,” said de Sousa, who won the $10 million Dubai World Cup in 2014 aboard African Story. “I want to do well. If it doesn’t happen, there are plenty of racecourses around.”