Ortiz Wins Six Stakes, Voted Jockey of the Week

In addition to winning six stakes races, and 16 races overall, five-time Eclipse Award jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. added one more honor to his lengthy list of accomplishments earning his first leading rider title at Churchill Downs. The panel of racing experts voted Ortiz Jockey of the Week November 24-30. 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. began his week on Monday at Mahoning Valley winning three stakes races beginning with Toastmaster for trainer Tim Hamm in the First Lady Stakes, a six furlong test for 3-year-old Ohio Registered fillies. Riding for trainer Bret Calhoun, Ortiz was aboard Too Much Kiki in the Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Distaff Stakes posting a 1-1/2-length win in 1:11.19 for six furlongs. Ortiz's third stakes win was for Bret Calhoun aboard Stilettos in the Cheryl White Memorial for 3-year-old fillies. Stilettos took charge at the top of the stretch for a four-length win in 1:10.68 for six furlongs. Back at his Churchill Downs base on Wednesday, Ortiz won Race 4 for trainer J. Kent Sweezey. Ortiz began Thursday with wins in Race 4 for trainer Armando De La Cerda and Race 6 for trainer Mike Maker. Eclipse award trainer Brad Cox then gave a leg up to Ortiz on Alpine Princess in the feature race, the G3 Falls City for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. Alpine Princess put away 27-1 longshot Corningstone in the stretch to win by two lengths in 1:50.46 for 1-1/8 miles on the dirt. Ortiz ended the day with a win in Race 12 for trainer Dale Romans. He posted one win on Friday for J. Kent Sweezey in Race 5. Ortiz won five races Saturday on Churchill's Stars of Tomorrow II card all for Brad Cox beginning in Race 1. Ortiz then won Race 6 before a victory in the Fern Creek Stakes with On Time Girl who won by 3-1/2 lengths in 1:15.83 for 6-1/2 furlongs. Ortiz next had the call on Further Ado in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club. Off as the favorite, Further Ado drew away late to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:43.33 for the 1-1/16th mile race that awarded 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Ortiz then won Race 12. On Sunday, he won Race 3 for trainer Cherie DeVaux and Race 7 for Brad Cox to bring his win total to a remarkable 16 for the week. Ortiz collected his first Churchill Downs leading rider title with 46 wins during the 26-day Fall Meet. "It's been very successful since moving to Kentucky," Ortiz said to Churchill publicity. "I'm very thankful for everyone who's helped us get where we are." Ortiz has another busy week ahead, riding at Turfway Park on Wednesday, Gulfstream Park Thursday-Friday and Aqueduct's Saturday card featuring six stakes races. Other contenders for Jockey of the Week included Javier Castellano with a stakes win at Gulfstream, Emisael Jaramillo with a stakes win at Gulfstream, Jose Ortiz with three stakes wins including the Clark (G2), Flavien Prat with two stakes wins at Del Mar including the Matriarch (G1) and Umberto Rispoli with two stakes wins at Del Mar including the Hollywood Derby (G1) and his first Del Mar riding title.