Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, 59, is the all-time leader with 27 wins at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, but five-time Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz Jr. is closing ground quickly with 20 victories since 2012.
A 32-year-old star rider, Ortiz has won three races at each of the last three editions of the Breeders’ Cup and has mounts in 13 of the 14 World Championships race Nov. 1-2, 2024, at Del Mar. Smith has one mount on Scylla in the PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
The record holder and his pursuer discuss what makes each of them special, their respect for each other, and their friendly rivalry, with Smith comparing Ortiz to a young Kobe Bryant and Ortiz comparing Smith to ageless NBA star LeBron James.
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