A Champion of Europe Takes His Tack to Arcadia

Jamie Spencer, who rode his way to champion jockey titles in both Britain and Ireland, is coming to California. His first rides on this side of the Atlantic come Saturday at Santa Anita, the track set against the San Gabriel Mountains in Arcadia. A rider of his standing does not relocate his saddle lightly, and his choice of Santa Anita says something about the quality of the racing and the horsemen he expects to find there. The Southern California circuit has a long tradition of welcoming riders from abroad, and the paddock regulars will be watching to see how a European stylist settles into American dirt and turf. For now the fact is simple and worth noting on its own: one of Europe's most decorated jockeys will walk out for the first time at Santa Anita this weekend.

With reporting from Thoroughbred Daily News.