IRAD ORTIZ VS PACO LOPEZ FULL

Leading trainer Gordon Elliott has been suspended by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board after a photo of him sitting on a dead horse emerged on Saturday. It's been a tumultuous few days in the horse racing world. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Stronach Group) Leading trainer banned over photo with dead horse Lopez began his horse racing career in Mexico, riding on bush tracks.Irad Ortiz Jr celebrates after winning the 2020 Pegasus World Cup Invitational. In 2008, Lopez won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey, and in 2014, he won his first Grade 1 race (Graded Stakes Race) on the horse Itsmyluckyday at Saratoga.Īfter racing on unregulated tracks in Mexico for some time, he moved to and began riding in Florida in 2007, becoming known in the United States for his aggressive style of racing. In 2018 he got his first Breeders' Cup win when he rode Roy H to victory in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

In 2019, however, he received two separate major suspensions.

The first being a 30 day suspension in February 2019 when he was reprimanded for dangerous riding at Gulfstream Park, as well as for several other occurrences of aggressive riding that led to the injury of other jockeys or horses. The second was another 60 day suspension in April, again at Gulfstream Park, for almost causing injury to a fellow jockey, Leonel Reyes, during a race.Jockey of the moment: Irad Ortiz Jr after his victory aboard Bricks And Mortar in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita. Photo: Alex Evers/Eclipse Sportswire/CSMĪside from the Hong Kong International Races next weekend and the $5.6 million Arima Kinen and two big juvenile contests in Japan in December, the big Group/Graded action around the world over the next couple of months is pretty well focused on the United States - and more particularly on Gulfstream Park in Florida. Just one look at the line-up of top jockeys illustrates perfectly what a big deal the track’s Championship Meet, which begins its 89-day run today, has become. Step forward Hall of Famers Javier Castellano (world #10) and John Velazquez (#19), Jose Ortiz (#10), Luis Saez (#47), Paco Lopez (#49), Julien Leparoux (#57), Joe Bravo (#37) and Florida native Tyler Gaffalione (#58).īut the one they all have to watch just now is Jose Ortiz’s elder brother, Irad Ortiz Jr. Take no notice of what the IFHA’s Longines World Best Jockey standings say - they will be finalised on Sunday with the award headed the way of Frankie Dettori for a superb record in an IFHA list of the world’s 100 highest-rated races (he won eight of them) with Zac Purton next on seven. Ludicrously, Irad languishes in 24th place with just two of his G1 scores counting (the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Turf). But that is no way to assess a year’s work.

IRAD ORTIZ VS PACO LOPEZ FULL

It is arguable that even the TRC Global Rankings don’t do full justice to his excellence. The man from Puerto Rico is currently world #8, although remember that takes account of his rides in Graded races over the past three years, not just 2019. Make no mistake, Ortiz is very much the rider of the moment. And Gulfstream is the perfect place for him to underline that - and maybe improve his position in the rankings still further (39 Graded contests will be contested at the meet between now and the end of March). The 27-year-old both started and ended a career year at Gulfstream Park in 2018, one where he was recognized with his first Eclipse Award as North America’s leading rider. And now he’s poised to do it all over again.įavored to claim his second straight Eclipse Award during the January 23 ceremony at Gulfstream, Ortiz will be defending his 2018-19 Championship Meet title. It will be the third straight winter he has ventured south, having previously ridden primarily in New York, where the cold weather often plays havoc with the racing schedule.

Irad ortiz paco lopez full#Īfter honoring his commitments there, he is scheduled to begin riding at Gulfstream full time from Thursday (December 4). “I won last year and I felt so good to be able to win my first title there.

Irad ortiz vs paco lopez