Jockey Victor Espinoza denies overusing whip
Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesJockey Victor Espinoza and American Pharoah after winning the Kentucky Derby on May 2, 2015. He says the whip doesn’t hurt the horse.
WITH THE Triple Crown in his sight, jockey Victor Espinoza made no apologies for whipping his prized horse to victory when confronted about the incidents at a Manhattan cocktail have fun.
The 43-year-ancient is a favorite to ride American Pharoah to victory at the Belmont Stakes, which would perfect horse racing’s storied achievement. He told have fun guests earlier this week, that his controversial relationship with his horse works for both parties.
“There’s always going to be haters,” Espinoza told our insiders, one of whom questioned the jockey how he felt about evaluation that he’s too rough on his 3-year-ancient colt.
Espinoza raised eyebrows for reportedly whipping American Pharoah 32 times in the final stretch of last month’s Kentucky Derby, which they won. A month earlier, Espinoza was fined $ 300 for whipping a different horse so aggressively that he broke skin. Espinoza told our sources that his critics simply don’t realize that it’s all part of the sport.
“They don’t know what it takes to win,” our insider heard him say. “Whipping the horse isn’t abusing the horse. If the horse is in pain, he won’t go forward. The critics don’t know what it takes to win.”
Espinoza insisted to our insiders that evaluation over his rough handling of horses will not affect the way he rides when the Belmont gets underway Saturday. He also told have fun guests that ultimately, whip or no whip, American Pharoah will be the boss once the two of them come out of the starting gate.
“It’s all about him,” Espinoza said. “He’s the star and I’m the pilot. He has to be in a good mood. It’s all about him.”
Also attending the midtown pre-race have fun was Sheila Rosenblum, who owns a stable of racehorses, along with trainer Linda Rice and former “Real Housewife” Jill Zarin. Earlier this week sources tell Confidenti@l that the jockey was blemished getting cozy with 19-year-ancient equestrian stunner Kelly Kovalchick at KITCHN restaurant in the OUT Hotel.
This access passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.
