José Ortiz clinches Churchill Downs spring-meet riding title

José Ortiz mathematically clinched the 2025 spring-meet riding title at Churchill Downs as he entered closing day with 61 victories through 42 days of racing, well ahead of Luis Sáez’s 45 wins and Brian Hernandez Jr.’s 38.

This marks Ortiz’s second riding title beneath the twin spires after he tied Tyler Gaffalione with 45 wins apiece at the 2024 spring meet. Since moving his tack to Kentucky full time last year, Ortiz quickly established himself as a leading force in the local jockey colony.

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Ortiz’s most notable victories at the spring meet have included top 3-year-old filly Nitrogen in the Grade 2 Edgewood, Durante in the Aristides (G3) and Shisospicy in the Mamzelle (G3).

Ortiz began the final week of the meet with a three-win lead over Sáez. He sealed the title with 14 victories in his last 30 mounts.

Agent Steve Rushing represents Ortiz, 31, who will ride at Saratoga this summer before returning to Churchill Downs for the September meet.

In the battle for fourth in the jockey standings, Luan Machado and Edgar Morales entered the final day Sunday tied with 21 wins each.

The race for leading trainer remained undecided heading into Sunday’s card. Joe Sharp, seeking his first Churchill Downs title, had a 20-17 win edge over eight-time local leader Brad Cox with Sharp having four horses entered and Cox six.

Trainer Steve Asmussen, the track’s all-time win leader and a 29-time Churchill Downs training champion, sat third with 16 wins and remained in striking distance with nine runners entered in seven races.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Godolphin dominated the owner standings at the spring meet, tallying nine wins from 28 starters including marquee victories by Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby and Good Cheer in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The powerhouse stable amassed more than $5.2 million in purses. This marks Godolphin’s fourth Churchill Downs title and second in a row after winning the 2024 fall-meet crown.

Brad Kelley’s Calumet Farm was second with six wins from 54 starts, and David Jacobson and Richard Rigney’s Rigney Racing were tied for third with five wins each.

Thoroughbred racing in Kentucky shifts west to Ellis Park in Henderson for the 25-day summer season which begins Thursday. Racing at Churchill Downs resumes Sept. 11 with the start of the 14-day September meet.