Espinoza back in the saddle

ARCADIA, Calif. – The hospitalization and months of physical therapy are complete. Nearly seven months after suffering a spinal injury in an accident in a morning workout at Del Mar, Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza returns to race riding with one mount at Santa Anita on Monday.

Espinoza is booked to ride Gallantly streaming in the first race, a $50,000 claimer for 3-year-old maiden fillies on the hillside turf course.

“I think I’m 100 percent ready,” Espinoza said on Saturday morning.

Last July, Espinoza, 46, suffered a fracture of the transverse process of his C-3 vertebra that required months of physical therapy. For weeks after the accident, Espinoza wore a rigid brace that prevented him from moving his head from side to side.

During the recovery, Espinoza said he questioned whether he would return to riding.

“Many times, I thought, ‘That’s it,’ ” he said. “I was worried about getting healthy. That was the biggest goal.”

Through the late summer and fall, Espinoza was allowed to increase his physical therapy and exercise regimen. He resumed exercising horses last month and intended to resume riding in January. Espinoza sought additional opinions from doctors in January, and decided to delay his return until Monday.

Espinoza said he regained confidence for his return “about a month ago.”

“Now, I feel good,” he said. “Why not go back and try to win some more races?”

After Monday, there is no racing at Santa Anita until Friday. Espinoza is expected to be more active next weekend, according to his agent, Brian Beach.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017, Espinoza has won 3,358 races in North America and is best known as the regular rider of California Chrome, the Horse of the Year in 2014 and 2016, and American Pharoah, who won the 2015 Triple Crown and was Horse of the Year that season.