Jose Ortiz

Champion Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) still has her sights set on her major spring objective, the GI Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park, despite a hiccup last weekend in Hot Springs, the track said via a press release on Wednesday. Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said Nitrogen will make her next start in the Apr. 11 Apple Blossom following a third-place finish in Saturday's GII Azeri Stakes. Tabbed as the 3-10 favorite under regular rider Jose Ortiz, the filly was beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Majestic Oops (Majestic Harbor)...

Making his seasonal debut Saturday, the now 4-year-old Magnitude (Not This Time) looked every bit the classy individual he was as a 3-year-old, beating up on an overmatched field to take down the GIII Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park Saturday. Last year's winner of the GII Risen Star and the GII Clark prepped for bigger things to come Saturday as the 4-5 favorite but had to deal with a pesky second choice in Nu What's New (Munnings) who rocketed into the race off a 12 1/2-length performance facing local allowance...

Though she had risen rapidly through the ranks to become one of the sport's top trainers, Cherie DeVaux has yet to start a horse in the GI Kentucky Derby. That may soon be about to change. DeVaux unleashed one of the more impressive 3-year-old winners of the year last week at the Fair Grounds when her Reagan's Honor (Honor A.P.) destroyed a field of older horses to win an allowance at the Fair Grounds by 6 3/4-lengths. The colt earned a Beyer figure of 96. "I was obviously very impressed...

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has sent a letter to stakeholders at the Eclipse Awards asking them to bar jockeys Irad Ortiz Jr. and his brother, Jose, from future consideration for the awards after the discovery of a social media video that appears to show the brothers collecting cash in a ring at a cockfight in Puerto Rico. It is unclear when the event took place. The 18-second video was posted on X in November, 2025 on the account of @Josmaestre131, with a caption in Spanish...

Golden Tempo (c, 3, Curlin--Carrumba, by Bernardini), tabbed as a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' in a last-to-first debut victory sprinting at Fair Grounds Dec. 20, ran by them all once again to stay perfect with a 3/4-length victory in Saturday's GIII Lecomte S. at Fair Grounds, good for 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Mesquite (Union Rags) rounded out the Cherie DeVaux-trained exacta. Longshot Carson Street (Street Sense), forwardly placed throughout, held on for third. The 5-2 favorite raced toward the rear through fractions of...

Making up for lost 'time' after racing at the tail of the field for the opening half of a six-furlong Fair Grounds maiden Saturday afternoon, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable's Golden Tempo (c, 2, Curlin--Carrumba, by Bernardini) cornered wide into the long straight under a full head of steam and kept that powerful rally up all the way through the line to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard. Pinched back right out of the gates, the well-backed 14-5 chance was well behind early and Jose Ortiz...

Shifting his tack to Churchill Downs for the 26-day Fall Meet, Irad Ortiz Jr. rounded out the session with 46 wins, including two landed on Sunday's closing day. The mark represented the most wins at the meeting since Julien Leparoux won 63 races "It's been very successful since moving to Kentucky," Ortiz Jr. said. "It's been great to be able to ride for so many new owners and trainers. I'm very thankful for everyone who's helped us get to where we are." Represented by Steve Rushing, Ortiz' most notable wins...

In what was probably America's most anticipated race in the older horse division since the GI Breeders' Cup Classic nearly four weeks ago, the 151st running of the GII Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs Friday lived up to expectations and then some. Runaway GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes winner and Winchell Thoroughbreds colorbearer Magnitude (c, 3, Not This Time--Rockadelic, by Bernardini), one of the most heralded 3-year-olds on the Derby Trail at the beginning of the year, put it all together in his first start against older horses to capture...

The 2025 Fall Meet wrapped Saturday with a season-record of $217-million in all-sources wagering, Keeneland announced via press release. Propelled by record purse money and overall good weather for the duration of the meeting, the 17 days of racing totaled $217,266,759 on the season--surpassing the previous record of $210,165,945 set last year for the 2024 Fall Meet. It was a 3.38% increase. Average daily purses of $1,341,107 also set a Keeneland record and races averaged 9.2 starters per card. Opening Fall Stars Weekend (excluding whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland) generated $48.9-million...

Crunched from a morning line of 5-1 into 8-5 favoritism while attempting to negotiate nine furlongs at first asking, C R K Stable's Remember Mamba (c, 2, Kitten's Joy--Gizmo, by Uncle Mo) turned in a performance as professional as the late NBA legend for whom he his named, streaking away through the final 100 yards to become a 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Saturday at Keeneland. Drawn gate three, the $270,000 Keeneland September yearling bounced well and was able to secure a prominent position just behind the speed with...

Zedan Racing's Barnes (c, 3, Into Mischief--All American Dream, by American Pharoah), a $3.2-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling, has always been heavy on promise, but perhaps lighter than hoped on actual visits to the winner's circle. That changed Saturday in Keeneland's GIII Perryville Stakes when the bay sophomore left no doubt as to his prowess with a 8 1/4-length tour de force over the Lexington oval. With just five to post in the Perryville, it was recent Churchill allowance winner Taylor's Version (Into Mischief) who set the :21.69 first quarter pace....

Approaching the threshold of the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar, MGISW Journalism (Curlin) had his penultimate workout for the big race at Santa Anita Park on Friday, but according to a report in the Daily Racing Form that same day, the colt's regular rider Umberto Rispoli will be replaced by Jose Ortiz for the Classic. In all but one of Journalism's 10 career races (his maiden win at Del Mar in Nov. '24), Rispoli has ridden the son of Curlin. This includes three GI victories this year...