Jockey Victor Espinoza reaches another milestone at Del Mar

Victor Espinoza reached a milestone Sunday just 14 months after his career was threatened when he sustained a severe neck injury during a workout spill at Del Mar.

Espinoza rode Nolde to a neck-victory in a photo finish in the $251,404 Grade II Del Mar Derby.

The victory was 47-year-old Espinoza’s third stakes victory of Del Mar’s 80th summer season and, more notably, the 100th of his career at the seaside track — tying him with Gary Stevens for third on Del Mar’s all-time list of stakes leaders.

Espinoza waved to a cheering crowd as he walked Nolde into the Winner’s Circle.

“We’re happy to have Victor ride our horses,” said John Shirreffs, Nolde’s trainer. “He’s a great rider.”

Nolde, who paid $15.20 for the win, finished a neck ahead of Originaire. Favorite Neptune’s Storm was a neck farther back in third. Then it was another head to Hackberry as the quartet ran side by side down the final 100 yards.

With his injury fading into history, Espinoza talked about Nolde, a 3-year-old son of PioneeroftheNile.

“Sometimes, when you get on this horse, he’s nice and easy going,” said Espinoza. “Not today. He was strong like a bull. I like that. He was telling me he was ready. He’s not an easy horse to ride, but he’s got a lot of talent.”

Nolde, who was beaten by a nose in the Oceanside Stakes on July 17, was fourth entering the stretch with Neptune’s Storm holding a half-length lead.

“The Oceanside prepared him nicely for this,” said Shirreffs. “And Victor has ridden him a number of times and really knows the horse. He got him settled into a nice position and Nolde really has a nice turn of foot.”

Sign up for our free horse racing newsletter >>

“Originaire ran great, too good to lose,” said jockey Mike Smith. “Too bad we couldn’t have had a dead-heat.”

Meanwhile, Flavien Prat defeated rival Drayden Van Dyke at the wire of a stakes race for a second consecutive day.

With his meet-leading 10th stakes win aboard Encoder in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf, Prat also clinched his second Del Mar jockey title in the last three years. Van Dyke was the defending champion.

In a repeat of Vasilika’s nose victory over Juliet Foxtrot in Saturday’s Grade II John C. Mabee Stakes, Prat rallied Encoder down the stretch to beat Van Dyke’s Billy Batts by a nose at the wire in the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf.

“Across the line, I knew I had won,” said Prat. “But coming down the stretch, I didn’t think I was going to get there. I had a perfect trip and it turned out right.”

Prat had two wins Sunday to give him 40 for the meet, 11 more than runner Van Dyke. Both jockeys have five mounts today.

Trainer Doug O’Neill saddled two winners Sunday to all but clinch his fifth trainer’s title, his first since 2010. He enters the final day of racing with a four-win advantage on defending champ Peter Miller, who also saddled two winners Sunday.

Del Mar’s summer meeting ends Monday with the $300,000 Grade I Del Mar Futurity topping the card. The final program also features the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Three trainers will have two entries apiece in the eight-horse field for the 7-furlong Futurity.

Bob Baffert will be going for a sweep of the two races that determine Del Mar’s juvenile division champions. Bast won the Grade I Del Mar Debutante on Saturday.

Baffert will have 5-2 morning-line favorite Eight Rings, with Van Dyke aboard, and Garth entered in the Futurity. Baffert horses have completed the Debutante-Futurity sweep five previous times — most recently in 2012 with Executive Privilege and Rolling Fog. Baffert is seeking his 15th Futurity win.

O’Neill will have Defense Wins and Fore Left in the Futurity. Hall of Fame basketball coach Rick Pitino is the majority owner of Defense Wins. Miller has Nucky and Wrecking Crew, which is the No. 2 morning pick at 7-2. Garth and Storm the Court (Prat) are both rated at 5-1.

Hendricks retiring

Trainer Dan Hendricks retired with Matson’s ninth-place finish in the 10th-race finale of Sunday’s card. Hendricks’ horses won 734 races in 4,891 career starts with earnings of more than $32 million. Hendricks, 61, spent nine years as an assistant trainer to Hall of Famer Richard Mandella before going out on his own in 1987.

“I don’t really have any plans,” said Hendricks. “Time to take a break, spend some time traveling.”

Two of Hendricks’ top horses were Brother Derek and Om.