Saratoga: Ortiz has tough day

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It was a down day for apprentice jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. First he fell down, then he was taken down.

In the eighth race, Ortiz looked to be seriously injured when his mount, My Nan Nell, clipped heels with Money Magnet, unseating the 19-year-old jockey, who hit the ground hard and rolled head over heels three times. Ortiz lay on the ground for several minutes before being taken off the track on a stretcher.

Remarkably, Ortiz was uninjured and was able to keep his riding engagement on Purplegreenandgold in the nightcap. It looked like Ortiz was going to end the day on a high note when he guided Purplegreenandgold, an 18-1 shot, to a neck victory over Pure Home Brew. But jockey Kent Desormeaux, aboard Pure Home Brew, claimed foul on Ortiz and the stewards disqualified Purplegreenandgold and Ortiz from first and placed them second.

Ortiz's use of his left-handed whip prompted his mount to carry Pure Home Brew out several paths, warranting the disqualification.

"I'm feeling good and now he's claiming foul," Ortiz said before the disqualification was announced.

Ortiz said he felt if there was a foul it occurred past the wire.

Ortiz, 19, began riding on the New York Racing Association circuit at Aqueduct in April and won 11 races from 111 mounts at the Belmont spring/summer meet. He won six races from 79 mounts before at Saratoga.