Jockeys to serve suspensions during first part of meet

ELMONT, N.Y. – Some familiar jockey names will be missing from the entries to begin the Belmont Park fall meet, as several are serving suspensions handed them by the stewards for infractions incurred at the Belmont spring or Saratoga meets.

:: Enhance your handicapping with DRF’s Belmont Clocker Report

Irad Ortiz Jr., the leading rider at Saratoga and a five-time leading rider at the Belmont fall meet (2014-18), will miss the first 10 days of the meet, serving two separate five-day suspensions. He is eligible to return Oct. 4.

Jose Ortiz will miss the first three days of the meet (Sept. 18-20), while Javier Castellano and Junior Alvarado will both serve three days (Sept. 20, 24, and 25). Joel Rosario will be eligible to ride Sunday after missing Friday due to a suspension and Saturday as part of the COVID-19 protocols that require New York-based jockeys who ride out of town to have two negative COVID tests in a five-day period. Rosario rode at Kentucky Downs on Tuesday and was scheduled to be tested Wednesday and Sunday morning.