Irad Ortiz, Jr., reigning Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Jockey, just keeps rolling along posting impressive wins in a spectacular weekend of racing. Ortiz's four stakes victories, including two graded races, capped six total winners on Saturday. The weekend culminated on Sunday with his fourth leading rider title at Gulfstream Park's Championship Meet.
The panel of racing experts voted Ortiz the honor of Jockey of the Week for March 27 through April 2. The award recognizes jockeys for riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
Ortiz started the racing week on Wednesday with three winners, two on Thursday and one on Friday. On Florida Derby Day, Ortiz began his stakes haul aboard Therapist for trainer Mike Maker in the Grade Pan American at 1 1/2 miles on the grass. Therapist broke sixth in the field of eight and tracked the favorite, Master Piece, to the top of the stretch. Therapist passed the tiring Master Piece in the final eighth of a mile to post a ¾-length victory in 2:29.22.
Ortiz next had the call on Marketsegmentation for trainer Chad Brown in the Sand Springs Stake. Off as the favorite in the field of nine, Marketsegmentation overcame a wide trip and a slow pace to just get up in time for the win, completing 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:43.13.
Trainer Todd Pletcher gave a leg up to Ortiz on Steady On in the Appleton Stakes. The duo sat fourth behind a solid pace before tipping outside and racing alongside Churchtown until inching away for the win in 1:34.49 for one mile on turf.
While the Appleton was the fifth win of the day for Ortiz, the best was still to come in the penultimate race of the day, the G1 Florida Derby.
Sent to the post as the overwhelming favorite in the field of 12, Forte, with Ortiz in the irons, had to overcome a bad post and an eventful trip to turn what seemed certain defeat into a defining victory and status as the favorite heading to the Kentucky Derby on May 6. Breaking from post 11, Forte had only two horses beaten as the field straightened down the backside. Approaching the quarter pole, Forte angled eight wide but was still several lengths behind the leader Mage before finding another gear in the stretch to win by a length in 1:49.37.
Ortiz added three wins on Sunday for a total of 15 for the week to lead all jockeys in wins. He will ride the entire 15-day Keeneland meet which begins April 7.
Other contenders for Jockey of the Week were Juan J. Hernandez with a graded stakes win at Santa Anita, Jose L. Ortiz with three stakes wins at Gulfstream, Flavien Prat who won the G1 Arkansas Derby, and Jevian Toledo who posted eight wins for the week.
The post Jockey Of The Week: Reigning Champ Irad Ortiz, Jr. Caps Big Week With Florida Derby Win, Gulfstream Title appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
