jockey of the week | Horse Racing Free Tips

Irad Ortiz, Jr. Voted Jockey Of The Week After Fourth Straight Shoemaker Award

Three-time Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz, Jr. travelled to the West Coast from his base in New York for the races at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club during Breeders' Cup week. He returned to New York having won four stakes at Del Mar and put an exclamation point on his outstanding week by winning a stakes race at Belmont Park on Sunday. His accomplishments earned Jockey of the Week Nov. 1 through Nov. 7. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for 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.

Breeders' Cup weekend began with “Future Stars Friday” with all stakes races dedicated to two-year-olds. Riding for trainer John Sadler, Ortiz, Jr. was aboard Big Switch in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Presented by PNC. Off in post position six in the field of eight, Big Switch took command in upper stretch and drew off to a convincing 2-3/4 lengths victory in 1:22.39 for six furlongs.

”I didn't have to do much,” said Ortiz. “I had a good trip. She just ran and that's all there was to it.”

Trainer Wesley Ward and Ortiz, Jr. combined for the third straight year to win the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. This year Ortiz, Jr. was aboard Twilight Gleaming (IRE). The fastest out of the gate, Twilight Gleaming (IRE) led all the way to win by a half-length over Go Bears Go covering the five furlongs on the turf in :56.24.

On Saturday, the duo of trainer Wesley Ward and Ortiz, Jr. struck again with Golden Pal in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Golden Pal went right to the lead and was never pressured, posting a 1-1/4-length win for the five furlongs on the turf in: 54.75.

“I was happy to get the lead easily and he responded to me when I asked him for the run down the stretch,” said Ortiz, Jr.

The next race saw Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher give a leg up to Ortiz, Jr. on Life Is Good in the G1 Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Life Is Good took command out of the gate and cruised to 5-3/4 lengths victory after a mild challenge from Ginobili.

“I had the perfect trip,” said Ortiz, Jr. “When we go to the quarter pole, he re-broke for me. What a nice horse to ride.”

Ortiz, Jr. was awarded the Bill Shoemaker Award for the fourth year in a row as Outstanding Jockey at the Breeders' Cup.

Back to Belmont Park on Sunday, Ortiz, Jr. was aboard Orglandes (FR) for trainer Chad Brown in the Zagora for fillies and mares three-years-old and up going 1-1/2 miles on the Widener turf. Off as the favorite in the field of seven, Orglandes (FR) got up right before the wire to win by a neck over Beautiful Love and Joel Rosario in 2:29.28. Ortiz, Jr. also collected the leading rider title at Belmont Park.

Ortiz, Jr. outpolled Mitchell Murrill with the most wins for the week, Jose L. Ortiz with two G1 Breeders' Cup victories, Joel Rosario with two G1 Breeders' Cup wins and Chantal Sutherland with nine wins for the week.

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Four Stakes Wins Net Luis Saez Jockey Of The Week Title

Luis Saez is ready for his Breeders' Cup assignments after winning four stakes races at Belmont Park and earning Jockey of the Week for Oct. 25 through Oct. 31. The honor, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for 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 Friday, trainer Chad Brown gave a leg up to Saez on Value Proposition (GB) in the inaugural running of the Oyster Bay, a seven furlong turf race for 3-year-olds and up. Off as the favorite in the field of eight, Value Proposition (GB) was forwardly placed behind Battle Station. Nearing the three-sixteenths pole, Saez and Value Proposition (GB) took command and drew off to a 2-3/4 lengths win in 1:23.03.

“We had a perfect trip. He broke pretty nice and we were just there waiting for the top of the stretch,” said Saez to the NYRA press office. “He gave me a good run and a good finish.”

Saturday was Empire Showcase Day at Belmont with stakes races devoted to New York-breds. Saez was aboard the Edward Barker-trained Shipsational to kick off the stakes action in the Sleepy Hollow for 2-year-olds going a one-turn mile. Shipsational led the six-horse field throughout the race to post a half-length victory in 1:38.32 over a sloppy, sealed track.

Saez ended Saturday aboard the Todd Pletcher-trained Americanrevolution, in the Empire Classic, a nine-furlong event for 3-year-olds and up. Breaking from post five in the field of eight, Saez settled Americanrevolution in third behind Sea Foam and Mr. Buff. Entering the stretch, Americanrevolution pulled away effortlessly to win impressively by 11-3/4 lengths in 1:49.11.

“We got the trip we wanted,” Saez told the NYRA press office. “We were breaking outside the speed and so we just tried to sit and keep him comfortable. He came running down the stretch.”

Saez capped off the weekend on Sunday in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler for 3-year-olds and up at seven furlongs on the main track aboard Wondrwherecraigis for conditioner Brittany Russell. Fastest out of the gate, Wondrwherecraigis went straight to the lead. Into the stretch, Wondrwherecraigis continued on the lead and powered to a 2-1/4 length win 1:23.31. The win marked the first graded stakes win for Russell.

Saez's statistics were 28-8-4-3 for an in-the-money rate of 53.5 percent and $747,949 in purses. He now heads to California this week for eight mounts in the Breeders' Cup races at Del Mar.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Tyler Gaffalione who won the riding title at Keeneland, Irad Ortiz, Jr. with four stakes wins at Belmont, Jaime Rodriguez who won the leading rider title at Delaware Park and Edgard Zayas who led all jockeys with 12 wins for the week.

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Retiring Mario Pino Voted Jockey Of The Week After 7,000th Win

Jockey Mario Pino recorded his 7,000th career victory on October 20th at Presque Isle Downs an achievement that earned the journeyman rider Jockey of the Week for October 18 through October 24. The honor, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for 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. Riding for trainer and co-owner, S. Matthew Kintz, Pino was aboard Enjoy the Music in a claiming race for three-year-olds and up. Off as the favorite in the field of seven, he rallied from off the pace to win by three-quarters of a length for the milestone. “It feels great,” said Pino of the winning 7,000. “Sometimes I have to pinch myself. Did I do it? It was really neat. It worked out really nice.”

Pino had been considering retirement once he had achieved the lofty goal of 7,000 wins and on closing day of the Presque Isle meet, Pino rode in his last race. His career statistics include 42,650 mounts with 7,001 firsts and more than $131 million in purses. His racing achievements include winning seven winners on a single day at Colonial Downs in 2002 and a six-win day at Laurel Park in 2003. He won 36 graded stakes including three Grade 1s as well as numerous riding titles. In addition to his victories on the track, Pino has been awarded the Mike Venezia Memorial Award, and the prestigious George Woolf Memorial Award which honors riders whose career and personal character earn esteem for the individual and the sport of thoroughbred racing and is voted on by fellow jockeys. Pino is also in the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame. Riding regularly for an incredible 44 years mainly in the Mid-Atlantic region, Pino joins an elite group of just nine other jockeys who have achieved at least 7,000 wins. Even though he is only 57 wins away from the next winningest rider, retired jockey Angel Cordero, Jr., Pino commented: “I'm good with 7,001, and I get to walk away happy and healthy. You know what, I kinda feel satisfied with my career. I really do. I feel like I did what I could do.” Pino out polled jockeys Junior Alvarado who won a graded stakes at Keeneland, Tyler Gaffalione who was the leading jockey by purses won, Jareth Loveberry with two stakes wins at Hawthorne and Tim Thornton who set a Delta Downs record for wins on a single card with seven as well as recording the most wins for the week with 13.

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Jockey Of The Week: Dylan Davis Celebrates First Grade 1 Win At Woodbine

Jockey Dylan Davis is usually riding at Belmont Park at this time of year but he travelled to Woodbine outside Toronto, Canada and came home with his first career Grade 1 victory. The win earned Jockey of the Week honors for Davis. The honor, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Riding for trainer Christophe Clement, Davis was aboard Mutamakina (GB) in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes, a 1-1/4 mile turf test for fillies and mares three-years-old and up and part of the Ladies of the Lawn series. Davis was riding Mutamakina (GB) for the third time including a win in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly in August, the second leg of the Ladies of the Lawn series. Despite the gutsy win in her last start, Mutamakina (GB) went off as the 8-1 sixth choice in the field of 10.

Mutamakina (GB) stalked a slow pace on the yielding turf, and sat off the leader, Kalifornia Queen. Those two battled for the lead into the stretch with Mutamakina (GB) taking the lead at the sixteenth pole, holding off stablemate, La Dragontea (GB) to win by a neck in 2:09.14. Kalifornia Queen finished third.

“She ran well here about a month ago,” Davis recalled. “We saw an opportunity to bring her up. Christophe did a great job getting her here. I've been breezing her, setting her up for this race. We knew she would be tough coming here.”

Davis, 27, the son of retired jockey Robbie Davis, has been riding since 2012. He tied a NYRA record with a six-win day on Feb. 18, 2018 at Aqueduct finishing in-the-money in all nine of his mounts that day. His sisters, Jacqueline and Katie are also jockeys. He currently sits in 4th place of the Belmont Park standings with 19 wins and nearly $1.4 million in purses.

Davis' weekly statistics were 22-4-2-0 and $449,894 in total purses.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Tyler Gaffalione with 12 wins during the week, Juan J. Hernandez who won two stakes races at Santa Anita, Flavien Prat who won the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth Challenge and Evin Roman who also won 12 races during the week.

The Jockey of the Week panel would also like to recognize the remarkable achievement of Arnaldo Bocachica on Oct. 9 when he set a single card Charles Town record of eight stakes wins during the West Virginia Breeders' Classic card. Bocachica now sits in a 10-way tie for second for most jockey victories in a single day.

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