Five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. arrived at Oaklawn Park on Saturday after posting a graded stakes race victory at Keeneland on Friday in the Doubledogdare (G2). He proceeded to win his second graded stakes race of the week in the much-anticipated renewal of the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) aboard the 7-year-old White Abarrio.
The panel of racing experts voted Ortiz Jockey of the Week for April 13 through April 19.
Ortiz posted multiple win days during the week beginning on Wednesday at Keeneland with three wins and three wins again on Thursday.
On Friday, Ortiz took the first three races before two-time Eclipse Award trainer Brad Cox gave him a leg up aboard Alpine Princess in the Doubledogdare (G2) for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up.
Alpine Princess broke alertly from the rail and raced in third with a ground-saving trip while Running Away led the field with race favorite Eunomia in second. Entering the stretch, Eunomia took the lead but Alpine Princess went by at the sixteenth pole for a neck victory in 1:44.09 for a mile and one-sixteenth.
Ortiz then traveled to Hot Springs, Arkansas and Oaklawn Park for the mount on White Abarrio in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2). Although six entered the gate, the race was all about 2025 Horse of the Year Sovereignty and 2025 Preakness Stakes (G1) hero Journalism making their 4-year-old debuts. Third choice in the wagering was 2025 Pegasus World Cup (G1) winner White Abarrio who was coming off a second place finish in the 2026 Pegasus World Cup (G1).
The striking gray broke on top from post position one to lead the field approaching the first turn when Sovereignty took over with Journalism in close pursuit. Under a confident ride by Ortiz, White Abarrio inched closer to those two as the field reached the top of the stretch. Ortiz angled White Abarrio off the rail at the three-eighths pole and reached the front at the furlong marker going on to win by two lengths in 1:47.49 for a mile and one-eighth with Sovereignty finishing second and Journalism hitting the wire for third.
"I thought I was going to be on the lead, but, honestly when I saw Sovereignty broke that sharp and I saw Journalism beside him - he didn't want to let him walk - it's going to be a match race, so I could probably take advantage of it," said Ortiz TO Oaklawn publicity. I was in a good position inside of them so I took my time and went to plan B. It worked out beautiful."
Ortiz won a total of 12 races for the week. Going into Keeneland's final three days, Ortiz leads the jockey standings and is looking for his third leading rider title. Ortiz will then head to Churchill Downs for opening day on Saturday. He is scheduled to ride Renegade in the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 2.
Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Javier Castellano with two stakes wins at Aqueduct, Brian Hernandez, Jr. who won the Elkhorn (G2) at Keeneland, Jorge Ruiz with two stakes wins at Laurel and Sheldon Russell who won the Federico Tesio at Laurel.
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