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Irad Ortiz’ Apple Blossom Ride Earns Jockey Of The Week Title

Billed as “Champion vs. Champion,” the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park was widely considered a two-horse race between Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver. Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Letruska, however, had another idea which earned him Jockey of the Week for April 12 through April 18. 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 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

It doesn't happen often when three-time Eclipse Champion jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. isn't on either the favorite or second favorite but the end result was a familiar one. Riding Letruska for the first time, Ortiz, Jr. went to the lead after the start and led the field through fractions of 23.56 for the opening quarter, 47.96 for the half and 1:12.26 for six furlongs. Swiss Skydiver and Monomoy Girl tracked the leader entering the stretch. Monomoy Girl grabbed a narrow lead but Ortiz, Jr. and Letruska dug in and fought back bravely along the rail to prevail by a nose at the wire in the final time of 1:43.14 for 1-1/16 miles over the fast track. Swiss Skydiver finished 6-1/2 lengths back in third.

“I got the right trip,” said Ortiz, Jr. “She likes to be on the lead, I let her go, let her make the lead. She relaxed and I was able to save something for the end. She responded really well.”

The Apple Blossom was Ortiz, Jr.'s fifth Grade 1 and twelfth graded stakes to date this year.

Ortiz, Jr.'s weekly stats were 20-7-6-3 for a 35% winners and 80% in-the-money.

He led all jockeys in purses won with $1,137,435.

Ortiz, Jr. out-polled jockeys Javier Castellano who won two stakes at Aqueduct, Paco Lopez who was second in number of wins for the week, Flavien Prat who won two graded stakes at Santa Anita and Luis Saez who won a stakes race at Keeneland and led all jockeys by number of wins.

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Jockeys’ Guild Denied Stay Of New Jersey’s Stricter Whip Rules

Jockeys' Guild, Inc. (“Jockeys' Guild”) learned Monday, April 19, that the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, denied its motion to stay the New Jersey Racing Commission's (“Commission's”) Regulation on the use of the riding crop in Thoroughbred racing. Jockeys' Guild sought the stay of enforcement pending a decision on its appeal, which has not yet been decided.

Beginning in 2021, jockeys at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, NJ will not be allowed to use the whip “except for reasons of safety.”

“We are extremely disappointed in this decision on our motion for a stay of enforcement. This Regulation prohibits jockeys from using the riding crop as they have been trained, increasing the risk of injury to both the horse and rider,” said Terry Meyocks, President and CEO of Jockeys' Guild. “We hoped the Court would stay the Regulation while our appeal is being considered, particularly because a stay would have maintained the status quo. After all, the Commission enacted the Regulation this past fall but had not yet enforced it.”

Meyocks added: “With the Court's decision that we learned of Monday, the Regulation is expected to be enforced in New Jersey beginning with the upcoming racing season in May.”

Jockeys' Guild filed an appeal of the Regulation in November. It first asked the Commission to stay enforcement pending a decision on that appeal. The Commission refused to stay enforcement, which lead Jockeys' Guild to seek a stay from the Court.

“Jockeys' Guild remains hopeful that the Court ultimately will grant its appeal,” said Meyocks.

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Tim Thornton, Karl Broberg Wrap Up Titles At Delta Downs Meeet

The 2020-21 Thoroughbred season at Delta Downs wrapped up on Friday with familiar names topping the standings. Tim Thornton won his third straight leading rider title while Karl Broberg notched his 10th consecutive crown in the training ranks. Broberg and Matt Johansen's End Zone Athletics, Inc. earned their sixth straight leading owner title and their ninth in the last 10 years.

Thornton's season included 122 wins and $2,337,260 in mount earnings. The Louisiana native rode five winners alone on closing day. During the 2018-19 season, Thornton's first full meet at Delta Downs, he set the current record of $2,894,080 in earnings.

Thornton, a husband and father of three, won two stakes races during the meet, both with Broberg-trained and End Zone Athletics Inc.-owned horses. The trio teamed up to win the $100,000 Delta Mile Stakes with Hunka Burning Love on November 10 and the $40,000 Ragin Cajun Starter Stakes on February 10, Louisiana Premier Day.

Following Thornton in the jockey standings were Diego Saenz (73 wins), Joel Dominguez (64), Jose Guerrero (54), Thomas Pompell (45), Gerard Melancon (42), Joe Stokes (30), Alez Birzer (27), Kevin Smith (25), and Jansen Melancon (24).

Broberg continued his dominance at Delta Downs in 2020-21 by sending out 91 winners and totaling $1,651,170 in earnings. The accomplishment capped off a season that saw him win his 10th straight training title at the Vinton, Louisiana racetrack. During the Delta Downs season Broberg also finished second nationally in terms of wins with 329 victories to Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen's 421. It was the first time since 2014 that Broberg did not lead the nation in that category.

Rounding out the list of leading trainers for the Delta Downs meeting were Scott Gelner (30), Juan Larrosa (29), Isai Gonzalez (28), Eduardo Ramirez (25), Brett Brinkman (23), Allen Landry (21), Ronnie Averett (17-tie), Thomas Amoss (17-tie), and Ronnie Averett (15).

End Zone Athletics, Inc. saw a record 64 of their runners win and earn a total of $868,765, which also set a new mark for owners in that category. The old record for wins, 50, and earnings, $873,545, was also set by End Zone Athletics during the 2018-19 season.

Rounding out the top owners for the season were Red Rose Racing (Jimmy Johnson) (15), Joe Alfredo Castillo (14), Gerald L. Averett, Jr. (12), Adriel Gonzalez (11), Dale White, Sr. (10), Norman Stables, LLC (Robert A. Norman) (9), Rylee Grudzien (7-tie), Steven Asmussen (7-tie), Juan Larrosa (7-tie), and Maggi Moss (7-tie).

Delta Downs now looks forward to its upcoming American Quarter Horse season which gets underway on May 10 and runs through July 31. The 46-day meeting will generally feature live racing each Monday through Thursday. However, there will be two special Friday cards and four special Saturday programs to accommodate major stakes races and trials for those events. The first post time each day will be at 3 pm Central Time.

For more information about the Delta Downs Quarter Horse season, including specific race days, go to the track's website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also follow the track on Facebook and Twitter.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.

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Amateur Jockey Lorna Brooke Dies After Fall; First British Rider Killed In Racing Accident Since 2005

Amateur jockey Lorna Brooke died in the hospital on Sunday, reports The Guardian, succumbing to injuries she sustained in a fall at Taunton Racecourse on April 8. The 37-year-old is the first jockey killed in a racing incident in Britain since 2005, when Tom Halliday fell at Market Rasen.

Racecourses around Britain observed a moment of silence on Monday, and jockeys wore black armbands.

Brooke was aboard Orchestrated, a horse trained and owned by her mother, Lady Susan Brooke, when she was unseated at the third fence on the course. She was treated on track before being airlifted to Southmead Hospital, where she was treated for suspected spinal injuries. Following complications, Brooke was placed into an induced coma, from which she never emerged.

The amateur jockey had ridden in over 400 races, mostly for her mother, piloting 17 winners in Britain and Ireland since 2001.