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Pegasus Double Nets Irad Ortiz Jockey Of The Week Title

In the days leading up to the Pegasus World Championships, it was touch and go as to whether Irad Ortiz, Jr. would be released to ride following a knee injury at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 7. But the three-time Eclipse Award-winning Ortiz, Jr. was medically cleared and rode into the winner's circle in both Grade 1 events of the day. With the wins, Ortiz, Jr. was voted Jockey of the Week. 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 1,050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher gave a leg up to Ortiz, Jr. on defending champion, Colonel Liam in the G1 World Cup Turf Invitational. Despite a layoff of nearly eight months, Colonel Liam went off as the favorite in the field of 12. While racing off the pace, Ortiz, Jr. and Colonel Liam crept steadily closer to the leader, stablemate, Never Surprised. The pair took command at the eighth pole and drew clear to win by a length in 1:47.48 for the 1 1/8-mile distance. Ortiz, Jr. has now won three of the four runnings of the World Pegasus Turf Invitational.

“He didn't lose a step,” said Ortiz, Jr.. “He's healthy and he's strong. He did everything right. I asked him a little early and when I asked him to go, he just went on.”

The G1 Pegasus World Cup was thought to be a match race between presumed Horse of the Year Knicks Go with Joel Rosario in the irons for trainer Brad Cox and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Life Is Good ridden by Ortiz, Jr. for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Off as the slight favorite, Life Is Good took control a sixteenth of a mile into the race and was never seriously threatened, covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.91 to post a winning margin of 3-1/4 lengths.

“I respect the other horse a lot,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I thought it was going to be a match race. But going into the first turn, my horse was so fast so I just let him do this thing. I felt like a lot of horse and I couldn't wait to let him run. I just wanted to get to the second turn. But when I let him go, he kept going.”

Ortiz, Jr.'s statistics for the week were 27-6-6-6 for an in-the-money rate of 66 percent and total purse earnings of $2,508,970 to lead all jockeys.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Victor Carrasco with three stakes wins at Laurel. Harry Hernandez who won two stakes races at Sunland and led all jockeys for the week in wins with 11, Jose Ortiz who won the G3 Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf, and Joel Rosario with two stakes wins at Gulfstream Park and two stakes wins at Sam Houston.

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Lance Newman Wins Kentucky Derby Museum’s Black Heritage In Racing Community Art Contest

Kentucky Derby Museum is pleased to announce the Grand Prize winner of its Black Heritage in Racing Community Art Contest, sponsored by Watson's, Derby City Gaming and The Storage Project. Lance G. Newman of Louisville was notified of his win for his work, The Will of Aunt Eliza. Newman will receive a $2000 cash Grand Prize from contest sponsor Derby City Gaming.

When speaking about his work, Newman describes it: “The Will of Aunt Eliza is an ode to a pioneering black horsewoman [Eliza Carpenter]. Born into slavery, she quickly inflicted her will on her condition and rose above and beyond the social standard of that day. The Will of Aunt Eliza stands as a reminder that no amount of oppression can halt the will of freedom.”

Kentucky Derby Museum is proud to play a role in the continued dialogue about the significant impact African American trainers, horse owners, and jockeys have had and continue to have on the sport of horse racing and the Kentucky Derby.

“We are grateful for the support of our community partners in working to ensure the stories of Black horse men and women are told as an integral part of the Kentucky Derby's history,” said Patrick Armstrong, Kentucky Derby Museum President and CEO.

In addition to the Grand Prize, cash prizes were also awarded to first, second and third place. Honorable mention awards were also given out to four other participating artists. Artist Simone Brown was awarded honorable mention and given an additional prize from Watson's which included a $2,500 gift card good for use in-store at their locations. Click here for a full list of winners. This link will take you to images of the top five winning art pieces.

Artwork submitted to the contest will be displayed at the Kentucky Derby Museum and Watson's starting later this Spring. Additional art will be displayed by our community partners: the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, KMAC Museum, Louisville Free Public Library, and the Muhammad Ali Center.

During the months of February and March, Kentucky Derby Museum will be offering visitors FREE admission to the Black Heritage in Racing Tour on select Saturdays at 1 P.M as part of Louisville Tourism's Unfiltered Truth Program. The Museum invites the community to take part in the tour to further their knowledge of some of the most important African American influencers in Thoroughbred racing.

The post Lance Newman Wins Kentucky Derby Museum’s Black Heritage In Racing Community Art Contest appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Woodbine’s Five Furlongs With Gary Boulanger: That Time Clint Eastwood Called

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, on November 19, 1967, Gary Boulanger began his riding career in Washington State and won three straight jockey titles at Longacres in Seattle, breaking Gary Stevens' meet record with 247 wins in 1991. He also netted two riding crowns at Calder Race Course in 1994 and 1995. Boulanger returned to Canada, specifically Woodbine, in June 2000 and won 78 races, six stakes and more than $4 million in purses. He has been associated with Sovereign Award champions including Dancethruthedawn, who won the Queen's Plate and Woodbine Oaks in 2001. Boulanger's career appeared to be over following a 2005 spill at Gulfstream but after a brief stint as a trainer he made a remarkable comeback after an eight-year absence. Boulanger was the recipient of the 2017 Avelino Gomez Memorial Award for contributions to racing on and off the track. His career totals show 3,655 wins for purses over $82 million (USD).

Who is your favourite actor and why?

“Clint Eastwood. I actually got to meet him when I won a race on a horse that was named after him. When he was the mayor of Carmel at the time, I was riding at Stockton, and I rode a horse named Eastwood. The sire of the horse was named Dirty Harry, and the owners had to get permission from Paramount to name the horse that. When they named the horse Eastwood, they had to get Clint's approval. And he gave it. The horse was an Appaloosa. The race was a Derby, and you had to qualify for it. I get this phone call in the jocks' room and the voice says, 'Are you riding a horse named Eastwood tomorrow?' I said that I was and the person says, 'Do you think you can win?' I told him that I liked the horse a lot and thought I had a good shot. 'Did you know the horse was named after me?' I thought it was a joke. I asked, 'Are you Clint Eastwood?' And he said that he was and wanted to know if he should come. I thought someone was punking me, but he ends up showing up at the track, coming to the jocks' room. So, I got to meet him, shake his hand and have a quick chat. The horse won, and he came to the winner's circle. I had always liked him as an actor, so it's cool to have that connection.”

Design your own jockey silks.

“They would be blue with silver or black trim. The logo would be a circle, either a black or silver ball. Blue is my favourite colour.”

If you had to write a book about your life, what would it be called?

“I think I'd go with The Comeback Kid. I had to deal with a lot of ups and downs in my career, some life-threatening injuries and other serious ones too. So, I think that title would be appropriate.”

Most embarrassing moment as a jockey?

“I'm pretty hardcore, so it's tough to think of a particular moment. I used to be really shy, just talking to people was tough. I think if I was to look at something embarrassing, it would be learning about public speaking. When I first started doing well, I was in Seattle, and when I would do interviews, I'd turn red. I was really shy and not forward. That was my biggest embarrassment, that I was so nervous around people early on in my career. The Clerk of Scales in Seattle, his son worked for Boeing. He prepared CEOs for presentations. He told me that I had to get used to speaking in public, so I went to his house for a BBQ and met him. He gave me a simple exercise. He said to go to a stoplight, stop, look left, look right, and the first person I see, stare at them until they look at you, and when they look at you, don't turn away and smile. A big fear is when people look at you, that you turn away and break that eye contact. He said that when I can learn to do that, it can help you move on to the next step. And it did help me.”

How are your karaoke talents?

“I sing a lot of karaoke songs. I've sung some crazy ones. George Strait is my favourite artist and I Cross My Heart is my top song. As for my singing voice, I was always the one who didn't care about getting up there and singing first. [Former jockey] Shane Sellers is one of my best friends and he actually cut an album. He was hardcore karaoke… he had a whole sound system in his basement. He didn't do any voice training, but he has a good voice. The thing is, he never wanted to go up first for karaoke. So, I'd go up first. I broke the ice. I'd walk in there and just step up to the mic. Shane would go up there and sound like Pavarotti compared to me, so I'd like to get my songs out of the way first.”

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Decision To Relocate To Gulfstream Pays Off As Jose Ortiz Bags Five Wins

Jose Ortiz rode five winners on Sunday's card at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., scoring aboard Main Event ($27.20) in Race 3, Queen Calypso ($4.80) in Race 5 and Coleridge ($15.40) in Race 8 and Unprecedented ($12.40), as well as champion Groupie Doll's daughter Doll Baby ($7.60) in Race 4.

Ortiz, who rode Regal Glory to a victory in the inaugural $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Invitational (G3) Saturday, relocated from Aqueduct to Gulfstream last week.

“Yesterday and today, we were supposed to be here anyway because we had some good calls,” Ortiz said. “I think here, I'm going to find better horses for down the road. I've been riding here for the last four or five years. My family had a lot to do with me staying there, but I wanted to be down here. I sat down with my wife, and she said, 'Go where you'll be happy. We'll make it work.'”

Leading rider Luis Saez notched his fifth straight multi-win day at Gulfstream, winning aboard Volte Face ($10.20) in Race 1 and Beside Herself ($3.60) in Race 6.

The post Decision To Relocate To Gulfstream Pays Off As Jose Ortiz Bags Five Wins appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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