At Irad Ortiz Jr., the new leading rider at Churchill Downs fall meet, a new champion was proclaimed in the fall season at Kentucky's Churchill Downs. With 46 wins over the 26-day Fall Meet, Ortiz Jr. was the jockey who went home with the most wins at this meeting since 2008.
Ortiz Jr. secures his first Churchill Downs riding crown journey after his relocation of racing from New York to Kentucky. The change, however, has resulted in him having to ride under different trainers and for different owners. When asked about his achievement, Ortiz Jr. responded, "I'm very thankful to everyone who has helped us get to where we are."
During the Fall Meet, Ortiz Jr. was able to win a handful of major races that pushed him to the lead. Among those important wins were:
On two separate days, Nov. 12 and the final "Stars of Tomorrow II" card. Ortiz Jr. racked up five wins each day. Those double-five-win days were a great indication of his overwhelming power during this meet.
His brother, Jose Ortiz, was the runner-up in the jockey standings with 37 wins. Jockeys Tyler Gaffalione and Luis Saez, who were also to be considered for the leading position, ended up in a tie for third place with 28 wins each.
Ortiz Jr. was basically the main instrument of his success with trainer Brad Cox. Brad Cox won his 10th leading trainer title at Churchill Downs, his first Fall Meet training crown since 2017.
It was a fantastic day for Cox as he had five winners out of his eight starters, a feat that very few trainers have historically been able to accomplish at this track.
Ortiz Jr. and Cox were the team that most often achieved the above-mentioned stakes races wins, combining their forces of rider and trainer.
Besides owners, Godolphin was the leading owner for the meet and therefore took home the most prestigious award, their fifth such title at Churchill Downs. Their success was crowned by a victory of Bella Ballerina in the Golden Rod Stakes (Grade II), besides many allowance wins.
Ortiz Jr.'s first Churchill Downs win is a powerful indication that he is not only the top jockey of New York but that he has become a force in Kentucky as well. With 46 wins in just one meet, he has equalled the scale of the past leading riders and demonstrated that he can perform under pressure.
In addition, his wins on big-name horses in graded stakes raise the level of his record. As a result, Further Ado and Alpine Princess, for example, may even become hot field runners in the major races of the future.
This might be the Ortiz Jr. era to fan and industry watchers, where he becomes a regular on Kentucky racing not only during their Fall Meet but possibly in the high-stakes meets ahead, including spring events and beyond.
During the Fall Meet, he achieved 46 wins, which is the highest number of wins since 2008, and he demonstrated great skill and consistency throughout the season.
One of his standout victories was winning the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, Falls City Stakes, Fern Creek Stakes, and Rags to Riches Stakes.
Ortiz Jr. was Brad Cox's favourite jockey as they teamed up for many wins, and Godolphin, being the top owner during the meet, contributed to his overall performance.
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