Ortiz suspended three days for ride in Whittingham

Irad Ortiz Jr., who has won the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding rider the last two years, has been suspended three days for his ride on Rockemperor in Saturday’s Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita.

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Rockemperor was disqualified from second to third for interfering with third-place finisher Originaire in the stretch of the turf race at 1 1/4 miles. Ortiz was cited for failing to maintain a straight course.

The suspension is scheduled for the racing days of May 31 and June 5-6.

In 2019, Ortiz’s mounts earned an all-time single-season record of $34.1 million. Through Sunday, Ortiz led the nation’s riders in that category with earnings of $6,390,694.

◗ Sunday, Santa Anita stewards fined veterinarian John Araujo $500 for failing to provide veterinarian reports on three occasions last December and February.