Ortiz will stay home during Kentucky Derby weekend

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will not be riding in this year’s Kentucky Oaks or Kentucky Derby. Instead, he will stay at his home base of Belmont Park and ride several top contenders in stakes for trainer Chad Brown those days.

On May 6, Derby Day, Ortiz will be aboard probable favorites Connect in the Grade 3, $200,000 Westchester, Sea Calisi in the Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay, and the European import Time Test in the Grade 3, $150,000 Fort Marcy. On May 5, Oaks Day, Ortiz will ride Kathryn the Wise in the Grade 3, $200,000 Vagrancy Handicap.

“They’re all very nice horses – hopefully we have success on them and can stay on them,” said Steve Rushing, the agent for Ortiz.

The last two years, a jockey has won five races at Belmont on Derby Day. In 2015, Joe Bravo won five races, including all three stakes, and ended up having his best year in graded stakes won (17) and purse money won ($8.39 million). Last year, Jose Ortiz won five races at Belmont on Derby Day, including all three stakes. He led the nation in wins and was a finalist for an Eclipse Award.

Irad Ortiz rode My Man Sam to an 11th-place finish in last year’s Kentucky Derby. He won the Belmont on Creator.