Jose Ortiz staying home for Derby Day

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Through the first 110 days of 2016, Jose Ortiz leads the nation in races won (112) and purse money won ($5,260,264), and he’s on an incredible run at the Aqueduct spring meet.

But that wasn’t enough to secure a contending Kentucky Derby mount.

Instead, Ortiz will remain in New York for both Oaks and Derby days and likely will ride a bevy of live runners at Belmont Park on those two days.

Last year, Joe Bravo won five races on Derby Day at Belmont Park, including all three stakes.

Ortiz was fined $1,000 by the stewards for “not having sufficient clearance” when he came out with his mount through the stretch of the sixth race April 15.

Ortiz was on Money Multiplier, who won the race but came out and bumped Nexrad – who finished fourth – in upper stretch. The stewards did not disqualify Money Multiplier, reasoning that the incident did not cost Nexrad a final placing.