Saratoga

Ortiz making strong bid for first title

David Grening|Aug 25, 2015

Irad Ortiz wins the Belmont Oaks aboard Lady Eli

Barbara D. Livingston Irad Ortiz Jr., who won the Belmont Oaks aboard Lady Eli, will be among the top jockeys contending for the riding title the Saratoga summer meet.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After posting three-win days Sunday and Monday, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. now has 46 wins at the meet, nine more than Javier Castellano. The 23-year-old Ortiz is seeking his first Saratoga riding title after finishing second to Castellano last year.

The record for wins at a Saratoga meet is 68, set by Ramon Dominguez in 2012. Through the first 28 days of that year’s meet, Dominguez had 47 wins, one more than Ortiz through the same period.

Ortiz has had 15 multiple-win days at the meet, including a personal-best five-win day Aug. 16. He has missed two days at the meet, having ridden at Arlington on Aug. 15 and England on Aug. 21.

On Monday, Ortiz recorded his 1,000th career victory when his 83 wins in Puerto Rico are factored in. Ortiz has won 919 races combined in the United States and Canada.

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