Jose Ortiz coming down to ride in March
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jose Ortiz, the standout jockey based on the New York circuit, has committed to ride at Gulfstream in March before moving his tack to Keeneland in April.
“I think it’s the right time for me to try,” Ortiz told Gulfstream publicity this week.
Ortiz, 23, was an Eclipse Award finalist for top jockey in 2016 after his mounts won 351 races, tops in America, and earned more than $22.7 million. He ventured outside of New York last October to ride much of the Keeneland fall meet.
Two horses, one name
It’s not inconceivable that two 3-year-olds with the same name could oppose each other in an upcoming race. Adonis Creed, bred in the U.S. and trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, and Adonis Creed, bred in France and trained by Mark Casse, both are based at Palm Meadows and are eligible for a first-level allowance. Both last raced in January.
The Jockey Club does not permit horses bred in North America to have the same name within a certain time frame but has no jurisdiction in Europe.
The French-bred Adonis Creed is owned by Gary Barber, a top executive with MGM, the studio that produced the 2015 movie “Creed,” starring Sylvester Stallone.