By T. D. Thornton
Irad Ortiz, Jr., currently the nation's leading jockey in both purse winnings and victories for 2023, waived his right to appeal a three-day “careless riding” suspension imposed by the Aqueduct Racetrack stewards for an Oct. 22 bumping incident that resulted in a victory for Ortiz's mount, an inquiry by the stewards, but no disqualification.
As a result of waiving the appeal, Ortiz will sit out three days starting this coming Sunday, Nov. 5, the day after he rides the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park, plus next Thursday and Friday, Nov. 9 and 10, the next two live racing dates on the Aqueduct calendar.
Riding Mister J T (Stay Thirsty), who was claimed as the 5-2 second favorite out of a $12,500 claiming sprint, Ortiz, according to the Equibase chart, was bottled up “behind a wall of rivals slugging it out on the front nearing the eighth pole, opted to tip out bulling his way out by bumping Striking Speed [Brilliant Speed] twice and nearly forcing that rival to clip heels to make a lane for himself at that station, then forged clear in hand much the best in the late stages.”
Striking Speed faded to seventh and last place.
Ortiz recently was suspended three days at Saratoga Race Course for a “careless riding” foul that did result in the disqualification of his mount from a July 27 win. He also served three days for committing the same type of infraction at Belmont Park June 11 that resulted in an inquiry but no disqualification of his third-place finisher.
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