Irad Ortiz, Corbett Share Jockey of The Week Honors

Five-time Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz, Jr. with a total of 15 wins for the week and journeyman jockey Glenn Corbett with two stakes victories at Turf Paradise tied in the voting by the panel of racing experts for Jockey of the Week November 10-November 16. The weekly honor recognizes jockeys for significant riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild. Founded in 1940, the Guild represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States. Riding at Churchill Downs, Irad Ortiz, Jr. began the week Wednesday with five wins starting with the first race for trainer J. Kent Sweezey. Riding for trainer Mertkan Kantarmaci, Ortiz made it a daily double with a win in the second. Ortiz then won Race 6 for trainer William Walden and Race 7 for two-time Eclipse Award trainer Brad Cox. Ortiz concluded his five-win day in Race 9 for trainer Nicholas Vaccarezza. On Thursday, Ortiz posted wins in Race 2 for Brad Cox and Race 6 for Glenn Wismer. He won two races on Friday, Race 7 for trainer Joe Sharp and Race 9 for trainer Michael Maker. Churchill Downs hosted the Claiming Crown on Saturday featuring eight starter allowance races. Ortiz won Race 4, the Ready's Rocket Express aboard 4-5 favorite Concrete Glory for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., Race 5 for trainer Sal Santoro aboard 2-1 favorite Ashima in the Tiara and Race 9 for trainer Bob Hess, Jr. aboard Nation in the Rapid Transit paying $15.64 for the win. Ortiz concluded the week on Sunday with three wins, Race 4 for trainer George Weaver, Race 6 for trainer Eddie Kenneally and Race 10 for trainer Michael McCarthy. The total of 15 wins by Ortiz were for 14 different trainers. Currently, Ortiz, Jr. is in first place in the Churchill standings with his brother Jose in close pursuit. Ten racing days remain in the Fall Meet. Veteran jockey Glenn Corbett is the very definition of "journeyman" jockey. The 60-year-old Corbett started the Turf Paradise meet off on opening day Monday, winning the Hank Mills, Jr. overnight stakes with Chuckanut Bay for trainer Howard Gibson. Corbett followed up with a win on Tuesday aboard Sayucan for trainer Kevin Eikleberry in the Jeff and Jack Coady, Sr. overnight stakes. Corbett rode his first winner at Penn National in 1985 and currently rides between Turf Paradise and Prairie Meadows. He recorded his 4,000th career win at Turf Paradise on March 8, 2021. He was inducted into the Prairie Meadows Hall of Fame in 2019 and was a finalist for the prestigious George Woolf Memorial Award in 2022. Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Antonio Fresu who won the Desi Arnaz at Del Mar, Flavien Prat who won the Jockey Club Oaks (G3) and Luis Saez who won the Chilukki (G3).