Irad Ortiz Jr.

Following the high-profile defections of Omaha Beach (War Front) and Spun to Run (Hard Spun) earlier this week, the GI Runhappy Pegasus World Cup appeared to be a wide-open affair. But apparently nobody told Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man). Sent off the 3-1 second choice behind Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro), who went off at 5-2, Mucho Gusto took over with consummate ease, strolling home an 4 1/2-length winner over pacesetting Mr Freeze (To Honor and Serve). It was 3/4 of a length farther back to War Story (Nothern Afleet). "Those...

The defections of two of favorites Omaha Beach (War Front) and Spun to Run (Hard Spun) saw Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. lose some of its star appeal, however, a solid group of graded stakes winners will try and collect the lion's share of the $3-million purse. Trainer John Sadler, who finished third in this race last season with 2018 Champion Older Horse Accelerate in 2019, offers the talented but at times unlucky Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro), who breaks from post 6. Knocking on the door to bigger...

Irad Ortiz, Jr. rode four Breeders' Cup winners at the 2019 World Championships--including GI Longines Turf hero and Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway), who he was aboard for all six of his wins from six tries last term. Ortiz's other Breeders' Cup winners were GI Longines Classic winner Vino Rosso (Curlin), GI Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile victor Spun to Run (Hard Spun) and GII Juvenile Turf Sprint scorer Four Wheel Drive (American Pharoah). Ortiz won 35 graded stakes in 2019, including 11 at the highest...

The connections of newly crowned champion Bricks and Mortar all took home Eclipse Awards of their own in their respective categories. Irad Ortiz, Jr. continued the domination of he and his brother with a second-straight Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey of 2019. The 27-year-old native of Puerto Rico took home the hardware last year, following in the footsteps of his younger brother Jose, who received the award for his 2017 season. The Ortiz brothers completed the North American exacta in 2019 by money won--Irad's mounts racked up $34,109,019 with 324...

In last year's inaugural GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. at Gulfstream Park, Chad Brown brought a single gun to the fight. In fact, it was more of a cannon. Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway) made short work of his rivals that day--winning by 2 ½ lengths--and proceeded to carve out a championship-worthy season consisting of five additional graded wins, including the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita. Looking at this season's Pegasus World Cup Turf, Brown-who is favored to add his fourth...