Three-time Eclipse Award winner, Irad Ortiz, Jr. won two Grade 1 races over Belmont Park's three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival including the marque race of the weekend, the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes. A panel of racing experts voted Ortiz, Jr. Jockey of the Week for June 6 through June 13. The award honors jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
On major racing days, Irad Ortiz, Jr. usually has a mount in nearly all a track's stakes races and it was no different last weekend when Belmont Park carded 17 stakes races Thursday through Saturday with Ortiz, Jr. having a mount in 14.
On Friday, Ortiz, Jr, was in the saddle on Bleecker Street for trainer Chad Brown in the newly-minted G1 New York Stakes for fillies and mares three-years-old and up on the inner turf course. Off as the second favorite in the field of seven, Ortiz, Jr. and Bleecker Street were last while saving ground after the opening half. Ortiz, Jr. angled Bleecker Street out five wide at the top of the stretch for clear sailing overtaking Family Way in the final 40 yards to win by a half-length in 2:02.58 for 1 1/4 miles.
“Slow pace, slow fractions, and I make a wide move,” said Ortiz, Jr., who was riding Bleecker Street for the first time. “I had to wait and go around and still got there. She gave me a good kick.”
On Saturday, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher gave a leg up to Ortiz, Jr. on Mo Donegal in the G1 Belmont Stakes. Off as the 5-2 favorite in the field of eight, the duo raced in sixth while We the People showed the way through the opening quarter of the 1 1/2 mile classic. Mo Donegal made his move while four wide at the quarter pole and took the lead three-sixteenths from home to post a three-length win in 2:28.28 while his brother, Jose, captured second on the filly Nest.
“Last time in the Derby, he didn't have the best trip and he still got beat by (only) three or five lengths,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I knew if I got a better trip, he could get there. When I asked him in the clear, he took off.”
The win was the second in the Belmont Stakes for Ortiz, Jr. following Creator in 2016.
“It means a lot to me,” said Ortiz, Jr. “It's a lot of hard work and dedication. I've been riding here for 11 years – there's no better feeling.”
Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Tyler Gaffalione who led all jockeys in wins with 10, Jose Ortiz with two Grade 1 wins, Flavien Prat with two G1 wins, and Luis Saez with five stakes wins.
Through June 12, Ortiz, Jr. tops the jockey standings in wins with 148 and purse earnings of $14,499,235.
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