Belmont Park jockey race coming down to wire
The race for leading jockey at the Belmont spring-summer meet most likely will come down to Sunday’s closing-day card.
Entering Thursday’s action, Javier Castellano held a 49-48 advantage over Irad Ortiz Jr. Castellano was named on three horses Thursday, while Ortiz was serving the final day of a three-day suspension. Both were named on five horses Friday. Ortiz was named on nine horses Saturday, while Castellano will be at Delaware Park to ride Princess of Sylmar in the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap.
On Sunday’s nine-race closing-day card, Ortiz has three mounts, while Castellano has just one. The two compete against each other in the final race of the card and meet.
Castellano, 36, won his first Belmont spring-summer riding title last year. Ortiz, 21, has won the last two Aqueduct inner-track riding titles.