Irad Ortiz, Jr., a five-time Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Jockey, captured his 4,000th career win aboard Good Temper in Sunday's first race at Keeneland.
Trained by Will Walden for owner Mark Stanley, Good Temper showed the way in the 1 1/16-mile dirt route for juvenile fillies, drawing off to win by 1 3/4-lengths as the odds-on favorite.
“I just have to thank God first. I started in New York in 2011, and they opened their home for me, supported me big time every day,” said Ortiz, Jr. to Keeneland publicity. “I feel like they respect me as one of them, so I have to thank all the trainers and owners who gave me the opportunities. Without them nobody would probably know me right now.”
Ortiz, Jr., represented by agent Steve Rushing, reached the milestone just three years after notching his 3,000th winner with Saratoga Kisses on Oct. 7, 2021, at Belmont.
According to records provided by Equibase, the 4,000 victories include 95 wins from the 32-year-old rider's homeland of Puerto Rico.
Ortiz, Jr. has enjoyed success on the NYRA circuit, winning the year-end title on three occasions [2014, 2015 and 2017]. His individual NYRA meet success includes winning the Angel Cordero, Jr. Riding Title as top Saratoga jockey six times [2015, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024]; as well as leading at the Belmont spring/summer meet [2014, 2018, 2020, 2022]; the Belmont fall meet [2014-2018, 2021-22]; the Aqueduct fall meet [2015, 2017, 2019, 2021], the Aqueduct spring meet [2017, 2018] and the former Aqueduct inner track title [2012-13, 2013-14, 2017].
He has topped all North American jockeys in wins since 2017 and has shown the way in total purse earnings on five occasions [2018-20, 2022-23].
He enjoyed a tremendous 2023 campaign by surpassing his own purse earnings record when banking $39,193,365 through a 1560-366-269-248 ledger topped by Breeders' Cup wins with Elite Power [Sprint], Goodnight Olive [Filly & Mare Sprint] and White Abarrio [Classic] to earn his fifth Bill Shoemaker Award as the outstanding rider at the 2023 Breeders' Cup.
So far in 2024, he is leading all riders in wins with 256 and also in purse earnings with more than $27 million in the bank. He has posted Grade I wins this year with Leslie's Rose [Ashland], Vahva [Derby City Distaff], Chili Flag [Just a Game], Book'em Danno [Woody Stephens], Cogburn [Jaipur] and Howard Wolowitz [Franklin Simpson].
Ortiz, Jr., a two-time Belmont Stakes winner, has also been associated with are 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar, 2019 Champion Older Dirt Male Vino Rosso, 2017 Champion Turf Female Lady Eli and 2022 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nest.
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