Espinoza arrived in South Florida at 6 a.m. from California and slept a few hours in the jockey's room at Gulfstream's before meeting with more than 500 fans.
"I do this for the fans," said Espinoza, who won the Triple Crown aboard American Pharoah. "They give me great support and I am thankful for that.
"I was not prepared for this," he added. "I've been there [on the cusp of winning the Triple Crown] twice. It's never easy. I just wanted to win the race and then I thought things would come a lot easier. It's been a lot of work, but it's been a lot of fun. Right now I have a lot of things - going here and there - so I haven't had a chance for it to all sink in."
Along with fans, Espinoza said several celebrities have also reached out to him. One was Major League Baseball player Miguel Cabrera, who won baseball's Triple Crown in 2012. Cabrera sent Espinoza his batting gloves.
Many fans took photos with Espinoza while others simply wanted to congratulate him.
“It’s a historic moment to win the Triple Crown, and to have him in South Florida is a pleasure," local fan Anthony Farruggia said. "We're glad to have him here."