The
three jockeys involved in Sunday’s final race spill – Victor Espinoza, Martin
Pedroza and Joel Rosario -- will resume riding today, their agents said.
Victor
Espinoza, whose mount, Be Driven, broke down to start the accident, was taken
to Scripps Hospital in Encinitas for X-rays that showed a sprain to an ankle,
but nothing more serious.
“The
swelling went down after the first day and he says he’s all right,” Espinoza’s
agent, Brad Pegram, said. “He’s going to ride today.”
Espinoza
is booked on four mounts, starting with Grumpy Small Mouth in the first race
and concluding with Calimonco in the featured $85,000 Wickerr Stakes.
Pedroza
and Rosario, who came out of the spill injury-free, have five and seven mounts
scheduled, respectively.
IN THE SWIM
Trainer
Bob Baffert’s scan of the internet on his cell phone early this morning showed
the headline that swimming champion Michael Phelps had forgotten his swimsuit
and had to borrow one for the 200 freestyle at the World’s Championships in
Shanghai in which Phelps finished second to teammate Ryan Lochte.
Baffert’s
response was an immediate text to personal friend Phelps, saying in part: “When
the going gets tough, the tough go to Del Mar. I have a suit you can wear.”
The
first two words in the nearly immediate response of Phelps, apparently between
races, were “ha ha.” After that, he expressed a desire to make the Del Mar
scene as soon as possible.
Phelps
would win the 200 meter butterfly to capture his first gold medal of the
championships. The last time Phelps competed in China was the 2008 Olympics,
when he won a record eight gold medals.