Irad Ortiz Jr.

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. The TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from the same week. These will include decisions from around the country.   CALIFORNIA Track: Del Mar Date: 07/27/2023 Licensee: Ed Carroll, owner Penalty:...

Brothers Irad Ortiz Jr., and Jose Ortiz will both serve three-day "careless riding" suspensions Aug. 9-11 that were imposed by the Saratoga Race Course stewards for separate infractions that involved winning rides last week. Both jockeys elected not to appeal their penalties. Irad Ortiz crossed the wire first but got disqualified aboard 1.45-1 favorite Eyes On Target (Exaggerator) in the seventh race July 27, a $25,000 claiming turf route. The Equibase chart stated that in upper stretch, his mount "was under a light drive in behind the top pair just...

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's champion Forte (Violence) just got up to nail the pacesetting Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) by a nose and had to survive a stewards' inquiry in a roughly run renewal of Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. in the Saratoga slop. Racing with blinkers for the first time, the 3-4 favorite traveled kindly on the inside in third beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. as Saudi Crown led the field of five through fractions of :23.93 and :48.10. All dressed up with nowhere to go approaching the quarter...

by Bill Finley and Stefanie Grimm Mike Repole has had dozens of top horses and has won a slew of 2-year-old maiden races in Saratoga over the many years he's been a force in the ownership ranks. But, usually, Repole's strength is with young dirt horses. It might be time to rethink that. Repole is the co-owner of what is arguably the top grass horse in the sport in the 4-year-old Up to the Mark, the winner of this year's GI Turf Classic S. at Churchill Downs and the GI...

Reigning Champion 2-Year-Old colt Forte (Violence) logged his first breeze of the summer at Saratoga Race Course when covering a half-mile in :48.90 seconds over the Oklahoma dirt training track Friday with regular jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. up for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The colt worked in company with graded stakes-winner Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) in preparation for the GII Jim Dandy July 29 at the Spa. "He jumped on the bridle a little early, so I kind of took a little hold away from the horse," said...

2nd-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 7-14, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:49.71, gd, 6 3/4 lengths. DREAMLIKE (c, 3, Gun Runner--Time to Tap, by Tapit) began his career Feb. 11 in Hallendale, where he finished second in a mile maiden contest and in a 1 1/16-mile Mar. 11 main track race before shipping north Apr. 8 to Aqueduct to try his hand in the GII Wood Memorial S. Third in that Derby-qualifier with a blanket finish separating him from winner GSW Lord Miles (Curlin) and runner-up GSW Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}), he was...

After a close battle with his brother through the final days of the 40-day spring/summer meet at Belmont Park, jockey Jose Ortiz secured the leading riding title on Sunday at the Belmont oval, finishing the meet just one win ahead with 59 total victories. Ortiz celebrated his 12th overall meet riding title. He was also the leading rider on the NYRA circuit in 2016, 2020 and 2021. Ortiz closed out the meet with a record of 246-59-44-38 and total purse earnings of $4,921,926, putting him at a win rate of...

1st-Belmont, $87,300, Msw, 6-18, 2yo, f, 5f, :58.74, ft, 3 lengths. WINE ON TAP (f, 2, Tapit--Princess La Quinta {GSW, $178,148}, by Quality Road) debuted here as the even-money co-favorite alongside Looks First (Mor Spirit). Breaking from post four, the gray filly tracked a longshot from second up the backstretch, pulled even with her rival past the quarter pole and went on to graduate by 3 lengths over the late-running Ilikefunsize (Upstart). The winner is her dam's first to make the races, but she does have a 3-year-old half-brother named...

Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's Up To the Mark (Not This Time) consolidated his position at the top of the American turf division with a second straight dominating performance at the top level in Saturday's GI Resorts World Casino Manhattan S. at Belmont Park. Made the 8-5 chalk on the strength of a much-the-best victory in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs May 6, the $450,000 Keeneland September graduate was away in good order and landed just ahead of centerfield...

As and when he finally quits riding the kids to sleep, at least John Velazquez doesn't have to worry about a next career. Because what he did in Baltimore last week showed him to have everything it takes to lead a cortege. Not just the restrained tempo, but also the way he reliably maintained all dignity and decorum while Irad Ortiz Jr. came lurching out of the procession in his usual unruly fashion.

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, 2022, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week. New York Track: Belmont Park Date: 05/21/2023 Licensee: Caitlin Owen,...

Rodeo Creek Racing's GISW Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) breezed five furlongs over the Belmont main track in his final serious move ahead of the May 20 GI Preakness S. at Pimlico Saturday. Blazing Sevens, who visited the track following the renovation break around 9:00 a.m., worked in company with stakes-winning stablemate Artorius [1:00.18], completing the trip in 1:00.02 over the fast main track. Blazing Sevens was accompanied by Irad Ortiz, Jr. who also rode the Chad Brown trainee in his latest start, a third-place finish in the Apr. 8 GI...