3 incident in which he crowded a horse on the rail, causing apprentice jockey Omar Hernandez Moreno to fall off his mount, Ortiz took responsibility and said he had no issue with the punishment.

It's really hard to find a horse that can stay with his same speed and finish the way he finishes.”Īsked about the 30-day suspension he was handed by New York Racing Association stewards for a Dec. The difference between him and some other horses some other horses can go fast and hold their speed for six furlongs or a mile, but he can stay the distance. He was feeling good, he was running relaxed and going the right way, so I just didn't mess with him, I let him do his thing and keep going. I let him go into the first turn and then I just used my judgment. after the gates open, everything changes. “Honestly, I know my horse is fast, but I never thought I was going to be on the lead by three or four lengths,” Ortiz said when asked if he was surprised by how easily Life Is Good outran presumptive Horse of the Year Knicks Go ( Paynter) in the Pegasus. Tuesday, the sometimes polarizing rider sat down with the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland as the Green Group Guest of the Week to discuss his success, his suspension, his rise to the top of the game and whether or not he pays attention to either the positive or negative attention he receives from racing fans. aboard emergent superstar Life Is Good (Into Mischief). on back-to-back winner Colonel Liam ( Liam's Map) and Pegasus World Cup Invitational S.

Upon his return, the 29-year-old picked up where he left off at Gulfstream, piloting winners left and right and over the weekend, added two more seven-figure Grade I wins to his trophy collection with victories in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. Shortly after scoring a hat trick of victories at the Breeders' Cup, Ortiz was suspended 30 days for careless riding at Aqueduct. It was an eventful few months for three-time Eclipse champion jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Irad ortiz today