| Victor Espinoza | |
|---|---|
| |
| Celebrity Profile | |
| Birth Date | 23 May 1972 |
| Hometown | Tulancingo, Mexico |
| Known For | Triple Crown–winning jockey |
|
| |
| Partner(s) | Karina Smirnoff |
| Placement | 12 |
| Highest Score | 20 (Rumba) |
| Lowest Score | 15 (Salsa) |
| Average Score | 17.3 |
Victor Espinoza is one of the celebrities from Season 21 of Dancing with the Stars.
Biography[]
Originally retrieved from abc.com
After coming close twice, jockey Victor Espinoza earned the famous Triple Crown earlier in 2015, winning the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness, and The Belmont Stakes aboard speedy American Pharoah. It was the first time in 37 years the feat had been accomplished, and the first time ever to be accomplished by a Hispanic jockey.
Raised in Mexico, Victor Espinoza is one of twelve children. Before becoming a jockey, he drove a city bus in Mexico, and says, "It's a lot easier riding horses than driving in that traffic in Mexico City." After attending jockey school in Mexico City, Victor came to the United States in 1993, riding in Southern California, Kentucky, and Northern California.
Espinoza has won over 3000 races, and his horses have won more than $125 million during his career. He won the Kentucky Derby three times, including the last two in a row, and he was the first jockey to have three chances at winning the Triple Crown.
Victor has a special connection to Duarte's City of Hope cancer hospital and research center and their young patients. In addition to donating ten percent of his weekly winnings to City of Hope, he donated his Triple Crown winnings to the cause.
Dancing with the Stars 21[]
He was partnered with Karina Smirnoff. They placed 12th.
Scores[]
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' Scores | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Hough | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Salsa / "G.D.F.R" | 5 | 5 | 5 | No elimination |
| 2 | Jive / "La Bamba" Rumba / "Girl on Fire" |
6 7 |
5 6 |
6 7 |
Eliminated |
