Espinoza Clears Big League Hurdle

Victor Espinoza, regular rider of early Santa Anita Derby favorite California Chrome, threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to last night’s opener of the annual Freeway Series between the Angels and Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

With HRTV’s Michelle Yu and Anna James in tow, Espinoza took a full windup and delivered a 70 mph strike, low and away.

“It was really fun,” said Espinoza. “I wasn’t nervous or anything. It was just great to be on the field and get to meet all those guys.”

“Those guys” included two of the biggest names in Major League baseball, the Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig and the Angels’ Mike Trout—with whom Espinoza posed for publicity stills prior to taking the mound.

“They both said they like racing and Trout asked me what it was like to win the Kentucky Derby (which he did in 2002 aboard War Emblem),” said Espinoza. “He told me that his girlfriend has horses and that he rides them over jumps.”

Safe to say Espinoza cleared a big league hurdle himself last night in Chavez Ravine.