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American Pharoah Jockey Wins Quadruple Crown on The Tonight Show: Watch!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=hJB1OAbAItA

Undefeated champion! Victor Espinoza stopped by The Tonight Show on Monday, June 8, just two days after he won the Belmont Stakes horse race on Saturday, June 6, and nabbed the Triple Crown with horse American Pharoah.

Espinoza, 43, was faced with another challenge on The Tonight Show. Host Jimmy Fallon introduced the victorious sportsman to his New York City studio audience, before queueing up another race.

Related: PHOTOS: Jimmy Fallon's Most Hilarious Talk Show Games

“American Pharoah just became the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 37 years,” Fallon, 40, began of the Thoroughbred who raced with Espinoza. “It’s an amazing feat, but believe it or not, there’s actually another honor that’s even harder to achieve. I’m talking, of course, about the Quadruple Crown.” 

“That’s when you win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, the Belmont Stakes, and you also win the Tonight Show Mini Motorcycle Derby against me,” the comedian continued. “Here to race for it right now is the Triple Crown-winning jockey Victor Espinoza.” 

Jimmy Fallon and Victor Espinoza
Jimmy Fallon and jockey Victor Espinoza during the “Quadruple Crown Race”

Related: PHOTOS: Celebrities Riding Horses

Fallon and Espinoza, who donated his winnings from the races to charity City of Hope to fight childhood cancer, then donned goggles and helmets “because safety is sexy” and prepared to race around the NBC studio.

“Here’s how the race is gonna work: We’re gonna ride these mini horse motorcycles through the studio on a course that represents the three legs of your Triple Crown,” Fallon informed his competitor. “First, we’ll take a left into the hallway, passing a few Kentucky Derby ladies in big hats drinking mint juleps. Then we’ll head back down the hallway past two guys in horse heads, tossing mud at us, just like the track at the Preakness. Finally, representing the Belmont Stakes, we’ll pass a couple of New York bookies with a lot of money riding on this race.”

The two stars then jumped on their mini motorcycles, with the 5-foot-2-inch Espinoza proving to be a much better fit for the small bike. Espinoza took an early lead but took a wrong turn halfway through, letting Fallon pull ahead. The jockey showed off his famed skills, however, and was able to beat Fallon nonetheless.

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