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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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Ricardo Santana Voted Jockey Of The Week After Arkansas Derby Victory

Ricardo Santana, Jr. not only won the G1 Arkansas Derby but set three milestones at Oaklawn Park, earning Jockey of the Week honors for April 5 through April 11. 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.

Riding for his main client, trainer Steve Asmussen, Ricardo Santana, Jr. was aboard Super Stock in the G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Parkon April 10. Off at odds of 12-1 in the field of six, Santana, Jr. and Super Stock took advantage of a speed duel set by favorite Concert Tour and Caddo River to win by 2-1/2 lengths in the 1-1/8th mile race in 1:50.92 to earn 100 points and a spot in the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 1.

“We got a beautiful trip. I was talking to Mr. Steve (Asmussen) for about two weeks before the race,” said Santana, Jr. “The post was perfect. We both liked breaking from #1. We knew there was some speed and everything came out perfect. It was a really important win for Steve and his family. I'm really blessed to be the one they chose to ride this race.”

Santana, Jr., a seven-time Oaklawn riding champion, reached three more milestones Saturday. He became the ninth rider in Oaklawn history to reach 600 career victories after winning the tenth race aboard Mighty Mischief for Asmussen and recorded 601 with his victory in the G1 Arkansas Derby.

He broke his single-season Oaklawn record for purse earnings with $4,404,778 after the Arkansas Derby victory. He set the previous record in 2019. While he became the first rider in Oaklawn history to reach $30 million in career purse earnings on April 3, he surpassed that record with Super Stock's victory.

Santana, Jr.'s stats for the week were 36-8-3-5 with a 22.2 win percentage and 44.4 in-the-money percentage. Total purse earnings for the week were $1,071,963 to lead all jockeys. He currently sits at the top of Oaklawn's jockey standings with 57 victories, 18 more than David Cabrera.

Santana, Jr. out-polled Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr. with an in-the-money percentage of 76.4, Tyler Gaffalione who won the G1 Jenny Wiley, Florent Geroux who captured the G3 Count Fleet, and Jose L. Ortiz who won a stakes race at Aqueduct and recorded five winners on a single card.

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Six Stakes Wins See Joel Rosario Voted Jockey Of The Week

Joel Rosario's amazing weekend at Keeneland included six stakes wins, three alone for trainer Wesley Ward, leading to Jockey of the Week honors for March 29 through April 4. 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.

Rosario began opening weekend on Friday with mounts in eight of the nine races. His stakes haul started with the Palisades Turf Sprint aboard Chasing Artie for Trainer Wesley Ward. Rosario rallied Chasing Artie from last place at the top of the stretch to win over the favorite, Fauci, in 1:03.46 for 5-1/2 furlongs.

Next, trainer Shug McGaughey gave a leg up to Rosario on Scarlett Sky in the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3). Sent off as the third choice in the field of six, Scarlett Sky took control in deep stretch to win by a half-length in 1:43.89 in the turf contest.

Winning two stakes races at Keeneland is an accomplishment but Rosario was just getting started.

On Saturday, California-based trainer John Sadler tapped Rosario to ride Flagstaff in the Commonwealth (G3), a seven-furlong contest on the dirt. Flagstaff collared the leaders inside the sixteenth pole to draw off for 1-1/4 length victory in 1:21.84.

In the Shakertown (G2), Rosario rode Bound for Nowhere for trainer Wesley Ward. Off as the slight favorite in the field of 12 and racing in midpack outside of horses, Bound for Nowhere hit the front in the final strides over Imprimis and Paco Lopez stopping the teletimer in 1:02.19 for 5-1/2 furlongs over a “good” turf course.

Rosario's Grade 1 stakes double started with Malathaat in the Central Bank Ashland. Malathaat caught Pass the Champagne in the shadow of the wire in 1:42.94 for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Shadwell Stable. In the following race, trainer Wesley Ward engaged Rosario to ride Kimari in the Madison who surged to the front in midstretch to win by three-quarters of length in 1:21.53.

“Thank you to everyone: Wesley Ward, Todd Pletcher, everyone else who gave me an opportunity,” said Rosario. “It was an amazing day. I thought I had some chances to win but you never know, so it's just great to have the opportunities and be able to win.”

Rosario's weekly stats were 18-7-4-2 with a 38.9% win percentage and total purses earnings of $950,652.

Rosario out polled Irad Ortiz, Jr. who was leading rider by wins including six on April 3, Flavien Prat who won four stakes including the Santa Anita Oaks, Umberto Rispoli who won the Santa Anita Derby and Luis Saez who won three stakes at Keeneland including the Toyota Blue Grass and accounted for the stakes races Rosario did not win.

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