Jockey Spencer Shifts Base From Europe to California

Irish jockey Jamie Spencer has enjoyed a rewarding past month riding in North America, traveling to win a pair of lucrative graded stakes at Kentucky Downs on Take Charge Star (IRE) and Haatem (IRE) and, most recently, adding the Oct. 3 Canadian International Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine in Canada aboard Godolphin's Arabian Crown (FR). The 46-year-old will soon ply his trade more regularly in North America, this time based in California. He has four scheduled mounts over three days of racing from Oct. 10-12 at Santa Anita Park. "Why not come here and see how it goes," he said in an interview with Steve Andersen of Daily Racing Form, which initially reported his move to California. "I've been working in the mornings here and hopefully I'll be busy at Santa Anita and Del Mar." Though most of Spencer's success has come overseas, he is 3-for-10 riding in North America this year and has 19 wins on the continent over his long career, with 16 in graded stakes races, all on turf. Ten of his North American victories were in grade 1s. The veteran rider has won top-level races over nearly 30 years. At just age 17 in 1998, he captured the Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) aboard Tarascon. Known for his late-finishing riding style, he became champion jockey in his native Ireland in 2004 and landed British titles in 2005 and 2007.