Irad Ortiz, Jr.
$32,147,159
2019 earnings
21%
2019 wins
$176,463,404
lifetime earnings
racing Record
2019 Stats
Career Stats
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280
Firsts
2,374
277
Seconds
2,114
201
Thirds
1,914
584
Unplaced
6,307
1,342
Starts
12,709
$32,147,159
Earnings
$176,463,404
$23,955
Earnings / Start
$13,885
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Bio
Originally from Trujillo Alto in Puerto Rico, Ortiz is a graduate of that country’s Escuela Vocacional Hípica, a school for prospective jockeys. His grandfather, also named Irad Ortiz, was a jockey, and so are his uncle, Ivan Ortiz, and brother, Jose Ortiz.
Ortiz has found great success since moving to the states to ride, and in 2013 had a mount in the Belmont Stakes aboard Incognito, a Kiaran McLaughlin trainee taking a large set up in class for the Triple Crown race.
Originally from Trujillo Alto in Puerto Rico, Ortiz is a graduate of that country’s Escuela Vocacional Hípica, a school for prospective jockeys. His grandfather, also named Irad Ortiz, was a jockey, and so are his uncle, Ivan Ortiz, and brother, Jose Ortiz.
Ortiz has found great success since moving to the states to ride, and in 2013 had a mount in the Belmont Stakes aboard Incognito, a Kiaran McLaughlin trainee taking a large set up in class for the Triple Crown race.
In 2014, Ortiz had a career-best year when winning 15 graded stakes races. His highlights were two Grade 1 victories on Sweet Reason and the season was topped off with a win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Lady Eli, his first Breeders' Cup victory. In 2015 he piloted Lady Eli to victory in each of her first three races including the Grade 1, $1-million Belmont Oaks Invitational. The same year he won the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf with Stephanie's Kitten.
Ortiz earned a second mount in the Belmont Stakes in 2016, and he won his first American classic race when capturing the Belmont aboard Creator in a well-timed ride. Ortiz has ridden many other popular horses throughout his young career, including 2012 champion 3-year-old filly Questing, Kid Cruz, Vyjack and Birdatthewire.
Ortiz picked up his third win in the Breeders' Cup when he guided Bar of Gold to a 66-1 upset in the 2017 Filly and Mare Sprint. He added a fourth Breeders' Cup win in 2018 when he scored a front-running victory aboard Newspaperofrecord in the Juvenile Fillies Turf on “Future Stars Friday” on Nov. 2. He did not wait long to add to his resume. Ortiz guided Shamrock Rose to a victory from off the pace in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint to kick off the World Championships card on Saturday, Nov. 3.
In 2018, Ortiz also rode Grade 1 winners Diversify, Fourstar Crook, Robert Bruce, and A Raving Beauty.
Ortiz added three more Breeders' Cup victories in 2019, winning the Juvenile Turf Sprint aboard Four Wheel Drive, the Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile in wire-to-wire fashion aboard Spun to Run, and the Longines Turf with superstar Bricks and Mortar, bringing his total to eight.
