By T. D. Thornton
Irad Ortiz, Jr., who is currently the nation's leading jockey this year in both purse winnings and victories, waived his right to appeal a three-day “careless riding suspension” imposed by the Belmont Park stewards for a June 11 stretch-run infraction that resulted in an inquiry, but no disqualification.
Ortiz will sit out June 25, 30, and July 1, according to the New York State Gaming Commission ruling dated June 17.
Ortiz was attempting to rally from last by coming up the inside rail aboard Federalist Papers (More Than Ready) in that afternoon's third race, an allowance/optional claiming grass route.
According to the Equibase chart, Ortiz's mount “had a clear lane just off the fence initially between foes and then went on through a tighter seam a furlong out as Strikingly Spun came in very slightly as Shad Nation came out very slightly, had the rider release the right handed rein to go to a right handed crop and came in impeding Shad Nation on the fence forcing that rival to check sharply [with Ortiz] pausing himself to look back to assess the damage done…”
Federalist Papers finished third. Strikingly Spun (Hard Spun), ridden by Jose Ortiz, Irad's brother, finished second. Shad Nation (Cairo Prince), with Dylan Davis aboard, finished sixth.
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