2024 Eclipse Awards: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Irad Ortiz Jr. has maintained a standard of excellence in racing for an extended period of time and for his accomplishments in the last year finds himself bidding for a sixth Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding jockey.

Ortiz is a finalist for 2024 after a season in which he led all North American-based riders in wins with 327 from 1,549 starts. It was a dominant display, as he finished 51 wins clear of the second-leading rider in wins in 2024.

In mount earnings, the 32-year-old native of Puerto Rico compiled $32,963,380, which ranked second among all jockeys in North America. He also was second in graded wins for the season, with 34.

Ortiz was the regular rider of Cogburn, who himself is an Eclipse Award finalist as male sprinter. Ortiz guided the turf-sprint sensation to three victories in four starts last year and was aboard for his record-setting performance in the Grade 1 Jaipur on June 8 at Saratoga. Cogburn covered 5 1/2 furlongs on firm ground in 59.80 seconds to set a new standard in North America.

:: Full list of 2024 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

Ortiz won a total of six Grade 1 races last year; his other such winners were Howard Wolowitz, Leslie’s Rose, Vahva, Chili Flag, and Book’em Danno.

Ortiz picked up his 4,000th career win on Oct. 13 at Keeneland.

“It’s been a great year,” he told Gulfstream Park publicity. “We got the 4,000 wins, we tied for the lead at Kentucky Downs, and I won the meet at Keeneland for the first time. It’s been amazing.

“I love riding.”

Ortiz first won the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey in 2018 and repeated in 2019 and 2020 before winning the honor again in 2022 and 2023.

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