Irad Ortiz Jr.

It's Irad Ortiz, Jr.'s world and we're all just living in it. The 28-year-old from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico who has grown up into a superstar before the racing world's eyes continued his dominance in 2020, leading to a third consecutive Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey. While his total earnings dipped over $10 million from his 2020 sum, that can be almost entirely attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the cancellation of much of the racing calendar through March and April and dramatic purse cuts that plagued the...

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy will recognize Irad Ortiz, Jr. for his work with the backstretch community during its 2021 summer fundraiser at Saratoga. Ortiz, winner of the Eclipse award in 2018-19 as the nation's leading jockey, is a Puerto Rican native who has won nearly 2,700 races and earned nearly $200 million to date. The NY Chaplaincy serves the state's backstretch community with children's enrichment, social services, recreational and educational programming, and non-denominational religious services. "Since his arrival on the New York Racing Association circuit, [Ortiz] has demonstrated...

By virtue of victories in the GI Kentucky Derby and in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic and combined with a third seven-figure success in the GI Haskell Invitational S., the ownership group that campaigned leading Horse of the Year hopeful Authentic (Into Mischief)--Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing--finished 2020 as the leading owner by earnings with a total of $6,790,000. The partnership raced Authentic for his final four races. In total, Authentic won five of his seven starts in 2020 and led all horses...

Frankie Dettori has been crowned the 2020 Longines World's Best Jockey, the third year in a row the Italian has received the accolade. Dettori, who also won the award in 2015, captured five of the world's Top 100 Group or Grade 1 races in 2020, aboard Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the Gold Cup and Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup S.; Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the St James's Palace S. and Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois; and the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth...

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., America's leading jockey, has tested positive for COVID-19, the jockey confirmed in a phone call Wednesday afternoon. The news was first reported by Dave Grening of the Daily Racing Form. Ortiz, who had been serving two consecutive five-day suspensions for careless riding July 3 and 31 at Belmont and Saratoga, respectively, said that he was asymptomatic. He rode his last race Sept. 16 at Kentucky Downs, and had not ridden in New York since Sept. 7, the last day of the Saratoga meeting. "I'm feeling good,"...

5th-Saratoga, $72,000, Msw, 7-26, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.36, fm. OUTADORE (c, 2, Outwork--Adore You {SP, $276,240}, by Tactical Cat) was let go at 6-1 as the less fancied of a pair of juvenile runners saddled by a trainer whose prowess with young horses--especially on turf--is well documented, and he proved to be the "right" Ward while providing his first-crop sire (by Uncle Mo) with a second winner and first on the lawn. Irad Ortiz, Jr. had ridden Outadore's stablemate River Tiber (War Front)  to a fourth-place run on debut at...

Chad Brown notched 23 wins to finish as the leading trainer at the Belmont spring/summer meet for the fifth consecutive time and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. posted 34 victories to lead all riders as the 25-day meet concluded Sunday at Belmont Park. Klaravich Stables led all owners with 13 wins, outpacing second-place finisher Michael Dubb, who had seven victories. "I'm really proud of our team. We had a late start to the year and it was frustrating for everybody--the staff, the owners, everybody involved," Brown said. "Our team held it...

The race was just a $20,000 maiden claimer, but the importance of the moment was not lost on Belmont track announcer John Imbriale, who welcomed racing back to New York Wednesday. "We can finally say...they're off and running at New York's Belmont Park," Imbriale called out as the field burst from the gate. And as Star of the West (Flashback) crossed the wire to win the opener, Imbriale once again recognized that this race was something special. "It's now official. New York sports is back and beautiful Belmont Park is...

Back home in California after finishing second aboard Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in the inaugural running of the $20-million Saudi Cup, jockey Mike Smith said the penalties handed down to him for excessive use of the whip were "absurd." Under rules enacted just before the running of the Saudi Cup card, riders were limited to striking a horse no more than 10 times during a race. The Saudi stewards ruled that Smith struck Midnight Bisou 14 times and also was guilty of hitting his mount with no regard for the...

According to a report in the Racing Post, jockey Mike Smith has been given a nine-day suspension and fined more than $200,000 for excessive use of the whip aboard Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), the runner-up in Saturday's Saudi Cup. The fine is the largest ever handed down to a jockey for a riding infraction. Under Saudi racing rules covering the Feb. 28 and Feb. 29 cards, a jockey is permitted to strike a horse no more than 10 times. The stewards ruled that Smith struck Midnight Bisou 14 times. He...

When Maximum Security (New Year's Day) touched down in Saudi Arabia last week, a new chapter began for the horse that had a star-crossed 2019. On Saturday, he will face the stiffest challenge of his career in the inaugural running of the $20-million Saudi Cup. It's a race that will answer a lot of questions, but don't be surprised if the end result is an emphatic win from last year's 3-year-old male champion. While Maximum Security had a strong 3-year-old campaign, his year was remembered more for what didn't happen...

Tonalist's Shape kept her unbeaten record intact and trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.'s hot streak going while becoming her sire (by Tapit)'s first graded winner. The chestnut belied 19-1 odds to take her Sept. 28 unveiling here while in the barn of trainer Juan Avila and carrying the colors of Sabana Racing Stable Corp. The phone started to ring after that, and she resurfaced with her current connections to take a Gulfstream Park West optional claimer by daylight Oct. 20. Tonalist's Shape aired by nine lengths and earned a strong 89...