Irad Ortiz Jr. moves tack to Churchill Downs for the season

Churchill Downs news release
Photo: Casey Laughter / Eclipse Sportswire

Irad Ortiz Jr., five-time Eclipse Award winner and national money leader as well as North America’s top jockey in races won every year since 2017, has moved his tack from New York to Kentucky for the fall season.

“My agent (Steve Rushing) and I have talked about this for a little while now,” Ortiz said. “There’s a lot of business in Kentucky, and the racing is really strong.”

Ortiz rode four races Thursday evening at Churchill Downs and won two, with Our Girl for trainer Brad Cox and Show Time for Norm Casse. Ortiz is named to ride in 21 races through the weekend.

So far this year, Ortiz ranks second in North America with more than $26 million in purse earnings, trailing only Flavien Prat by about $2.5 million.

Ortiz joins his younger brother, two-time Churchill Downs leading rider Jose Ortiz, in the local jockey colony. Both are represented by Rushing.

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