Steve Serby tracked down California Chrome jockey Victor Espinoza at the Garden City Hotel for some Triple Crown Q&A before Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.
Q: Tell me why California Chrome can make history?
A: Because he’s a [talented] horse. He likes to run, he loves his job, and he has a big heart.
Q: Do you realize most of America will be rooting for you and California Chrome to win the Triple Crown?
A: Really? Wow. That’ll be nice (laugh). I think California Chrome is the American horse. Basically, everybody loves that horse. … Everybody I know that never [has] been to the track tells me, “I’m rooting for you and California Chrome.” It’s funny, ’cause I wear the hat, the 811 … matter of fact, [Thursday], I stopped by the bank and [a stranger] look at me like: “Wow! Are you related to California Chrome?” I’m like, “Why [do] you say that?” “Because the hat.” 811, that’s my sponsor (laugh).
Q: Do you have a gut feeling on the race?
A: I’ll find out a lot of details [Saturday] about California Chrome about the race.
Q: What was your boyhood dream?
A: I [wanted] to be a millionaire (smile).
Q: As a little boy?
A: As a little guy, I [wanted] to be a millionaire. I [wanted] to be a successful guy, I [didn’t] want to be like … just work day by day. I always [hung] out with older people, because I was very curious growing up.
Q: So what’s it like being a millionaire?
A: (Laugh) I’m not sure. It’d probably be fun.
Q: What do you think your strengths are as a jockey?
A: Dedication.
Q: How about when you’re on the horse?
A: Focus what I do. I am ready for whatever. I learned to use it when I need to, and especially in the big races.
Q: You like big races?
A: Yeah. I do (laugh).
Q: Why?
A: For me it’s a lot of fun … because there are always good horses in the race, and that makes my job more easy, and shows what I can do with those horses.
Q: How disappointing was it not winning the Triple Crown in 2002 with War Emblem?
A: I was not disappointed. It was out of my hands what happens. When he stumbled [at the start], all my chances went away.
Q: What would you say is the difference in personality between War Emblem and California Chrome?
A: Two different horses. California Chrome is a little bit more calm, more professional. War Emblem, he was like a little bit crazy. He [didn’t] care about anything, he just [wanted] to run as fast as he can, and he used to like to go in the front, he [didn’t] like to being behind. California Chrome, he’s more mellow, he listens to me more than War Emblem. War Emblem, no, he [had a] very hard head (laugh).
Q: How are you and California Chrome alike personality-wise?
A: He’s a curious guy. When I’m warming up before the race, he likes to stand and look around. And he hates it when he wants to look around and you don’t let him, you force him to look the other way, he hates that.
Q: Give me an example of California Chrome’s heart.
A: He’s a tough guy. I bumped around in the Preakness, and he [didn’t] mind. He gets tougher. He likes the challenge.
Q: Were you rooting for Big Brown and Smarty Jones when they tried to win the Triple Crown?
A: Absolutely. I remember when Smarty Jones [ran], and I was screaming so much that I kinda lost my voice (laugh). It’s been so long [since Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978], either way, even if I’m not in the race, I root for them.
Q: Describe New York racing fans.
A: Awesome! … Every time I come here, they’re really like fun. I feel like I’m somebody special the way they treat me right here in New York.
Q: Will it be tough sleeping the night before the Belmont?
A: No. Not for me.
Q: Because?
A: It’s just my job that I have to do. I know it’s different because there’s the Triple Crown, obviously, for the Belmont, but the more sleep I have is better for me.
Q: How do you relax?
A: I like to sleep (laugh). A lot. Eight hours for me of sleep, that’s enough. Eight or 10.
Q: What is your routine the day of the race?
A: Just try not to do anything (chuckle). Just get up and go to the track and be ready for the race.
Q: You used to watch cartoons between races, right?
A: (Laugh) Yeah.
Q: But you don’t do that now.
A: Well I do. You caught me there, yeah (laugh). All the Disney cartoons are the best.
Q: Superstitions?
A: No.
Q: What was it like winning the Kentucky Derby for the first time?
A: Ohmygosh. That day, I was like, I didn’t even know what’s going on, you know? The hours went by, and the next day it’s like, “Wow, I can’t believe it, I just [won] the Kentucky Derby!” The toughest race in the world, I just [won], you know?
Q: Did it change your life?
A: It [didn’t] change my life, it changed my career.
Q: How close were you to retiring?
A: Every time I make plans, it never happens. I [made] plans that I was gonna retire when I was 38. [He’s now 42.] I have no plans now.
Q: Why were you thinking of retiring at 38?
A: As a jockey, I think it’s a very dangerous sport. I already [knew] since I [started] riding that we go day by day. I really don’t know what’s gonna happen tomorrow. Each time that I ride a horse, you don’t know what’s gonna happen. It’s always a concern, that something could happen, and that’s why, I thought: You know what? If I don’t have to ride, then I will probably quit. The time goes by fast. … like, “Wow, I’ve been riding for such a long time, and still continue.” So now I don’t make any plans to stop riding.
Q: What is the low point of your career?
A: Maybe like 2008, that was my lowest year that I ever have, and just a lot of people that [were] talking about that I was not good anymore.
Q: How did that affect you?
A: For me, I’m the same, except that I don’t have the same horses. For me, the most important thing is my health and safety.
Q: What is your diet?
A: I work out a lot. I eat a little bit of everything.
Q: When you drove a bus in Mexico City, how old were you?
A: I was young, I was like 13, 14 years old. I had to get my brother’s ID to look older than that (laugh).
Q: You mean you used his license?
A: Yeah.
Q: How many years did you drive?
A: Just like a year.
Q: Any funny stories?
A: I would meet a lot of people just from the ride, basically. As soon as they get in the bus, they’re like my best friends. And an hour later, that’s when you never see them again.
Q: You must have been so young looking.
A: Oh yeah, a lot of people asked me, “How old are you?” I’d say “18.”
Q: Were you a good driver?
A: I think so, but probably not. That’s probably why they asked me how old I was because I was not very good (laugh).
Q: No accidents though?
A: No, no (smile).
Q: You donate some of your winnings to the City of Hope cancer center in Duarte, Calif.
A: It’s just important for me. Just because to see those kids … not just the kids … to have that disease, just crazy. I wish I can do something. … When I ride, I feel like I’m in control. And you see those kids with that disease, and can’t do anything about it. The only thing I can do is just donate whatever I can for them and hopefully [that] can help them.
Q: What does the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund mean to you?
A: Now that my brother [Jose], he has his accident [when he was thrown from Heading to Toga on Alabama Day at Saratoga in August], he can’t ride no more. I will donate a percentage whatever I win next week.
Q: Your brother retired because of an accident?
A: Well he’s still not 100 percent retired, but hopefully he no ride again.
Q: What happened exactly?
A: The horse broke down. Concussion.
Q: Do you have any childhood struggles growing up?
A: We grew up in a farm. Work in a farm is not easy. It’s pretty much all day work. The sun comes out, you’re up, the sun goes down.
Q: What were you doing exactly?
A: Well, you have to feed all the animals. They need to eat every day. They need to taken care every moment, every second of the day, so it’s not easy.
Q: Is that where you developed a love for horses, on the farm?
A: Yeah, pretty much, ’cause I grew up around animals. I think, for animals, it’s just an amazing thing that I have for them.
Q: How many siblings do you have?
A: Eleven. I’m the second last one. My sister is the youngest.
Q: How proud is your family of you?
A: My mother, she’s really not into the races. She only came one time on Delmar, like 10 years ago. That was the first time she ever been in the track. She likes it, but she always [worries]
about safety. She’s very religious.
Q: Will she come to the Belmont?
A: No. And she ask me, “I hope you’re eating healthy, I hope you’re eating enough.” It’s like, “Well, I can’t (laugh).”
Q: Was there anybody you idolized as a boy?
A: No. … Growing up, I was like, you know what? It’s all about be a millionaire. Whatever career that I choose, I want to make sure that I want to be better than every other person competing against me.
Q: If you didn’t become a jockey, what do you think you would have been?
A: I was thinking about [being] a pilot ’cause I like speed, and be able to fly those planes. I thought, “Well, I can make a lot of money doing that.” I would not be a race-car [driver] because I thought “race-car [driving] would probably be boring, and I don’t think I can make that much money (laugh).
Q: So when did you decide you wanted to be a jockey?
A: It just [happened]. Go day by day, and next thing I know I’m really deep into the races and … around the horses. For a moment, I [wanted] to go back to school and choose a career that I wanted, but it was kinda late, ’cause I already fallen behind two, three years with no money.
Q: You are going to be on David Letterman. this week.
A: It’ll be fun. I’m ready for it. I’m really excited to meet him, and looking forward to just have fun on his show.
Q: You’re throwing out the first pitch at a Yankees game.
A: I want to go easy on them, ’cause they have a game (smile).
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Bill Gates, Warren Buffett.
Q: Not three dinner guests?
A: Yeah, just two, ’cause I can’t eat too much, I’ll be out of business (laugh).
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “Cinderella.”
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Pasta.
What would California Chrome say?
The Post envisions his Q&A:
Favorite actor: Mr. Ed.
Favorite movie: “Black Beauty.”
Worst movie: “The Godfather.”
Favorite song: “A Horse With No Name” by America.
Favorite game: Horseshoes.
Favorite musical: “Fiddler on the Hoof.”
Favorite cartoon character: “Whinny” the Pooh.
Favorite boxing punch: Haymaker.
Describe your home life: Stable.
Plans after you retire: Enjoy my fair share of mares.
What did you think of Peyton Manning going from the Colts to the Broncos? Denver really ponied up.
Do you think you would ever run for office? My political career was on the fast track until I realized I always vote “neigh.”
Three dinner guests: Barbaro, Seabiscuit, Trigger.
How do you think Saturday’s Belmont will play out? I think it’s going to be a barnburner.