Jockey Victor Espinoza, the regular rider of 2015 American Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) as well as recent GI Pacific Classic hero California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit), will not participate in the World All-Star Jockeys (WASJ) competition scheduled for Aug. 27 and 28 at Sapporo Racecourse. According to a release from the Japan Racing Association, he has withdrawn due to “loss of necessary documents for entry to Japan.”
Launched by the JRA in 1987, the WASJ is contested over four races across the two days of racing and will feature five foreign-based jockeys and nine from Japan, including Yasunari Iwata, who replaces Espinoza. The foreign contingent is headlined by Joao Moreira, the runaway leading jockey in Hong Kong during the last two seasons, who defeated Yutaka Take to win the 2015 WASJ. Also participating from overseas are Cristian Demuro (France), Jamie Spencer (UK), Craig Williams (Australia) and Emma-Jayne Wilson (Canada).
In addition to Take, Japan is represented by Christophe Lemaire, Mirco Demuro and two-time JRA 'most-valuable jockey' Keita Tosaki.
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