Jose Ortiz cleared to ride after swift recovery from wrist injury

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Jose Ortiz, sidelined after suffering a slight fracture in his right wrist in a post parade mishap here on Feb. 22, has been cleared to return riding again his agent Jimmy Riccio said on Monday. The injury forced Ortiz to cancel his trip to Saudi Arabia, where he was to ride Tacitus for trainer Bill Mott in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 29.

“This is excellent news for our camp,” said Riccio. “We never thought he’d be back this soon. He healed remarkably. The doctor called him Wolverine. That’s just youth, I guess.”

Riccio said Ortiz would be at Palm Meadows on Tuesday to work a horse for trainer Rodolphe Brissett and would begin accepting mounts when entries are drawn on Wednesday for Saturday’s program at Gulfstream Park.

“The original plan before the injury was to be at Oaklawn Park this weekend to ride, among others, Serengeti Empress, but that ship has sailed,” said Riccio. “But that’s okay. He’s just happy to be back riding again. The good thing is Jose has been able to keep working out and hasn’t lost any fitness while he was out.”

Ortiz, who will be aboard his top Kentucky Derby prospect Independence Hall in the $1 million Florida Derby here on March 28, plans to head to Keeneland when the Gulfstream Park Championship meet ends later this month. The 2017 Eclipse Award winner has won 28 races for earnings of nearly $1.4 million thus far in 2020.