When a trainer or jockey of gallop racehorses in Germany wins ten group races in one year, that is something very special. In America, where of course considerably more races of this kind are run, it goes into completely different regions. Here, jockey Irad Ortiz jr. has just set a very special record.
Ortiz scored his 77th success in a stakes race in a single season in North America when he guided Dr B to an easy victory in the Go for Wand Stakes at Aqueduct on 3 December. The victory, which surpassed the record of 76 set in 2007 by the late Hall of Fame jockey Garrett Gomez, was never in doubt for Ortiz and Dr B.
"It`s awesome, it`s an unbelievable feeling," said Ortiz, who won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey of 2018-20. "It`s amazing just to be a part of history. Gomez made it in 2007 and he was a great rider, one of the best in the business. I love this sport. Thank you to everyone who has supported me: Trainers, owners and my agent Steve Rushing."
The 30-year-old jockey has had a remarkable year after winning a Classic on Mo Donegal in the Belmont Stakes. He also won three Grade 1 races in the Breeders` Cup at Keeneland last month. Ortiz, who has led the North American horsemen`s statistics in wins since 2017, had won nearly $36 million with his horses in 2022 before the record-breaking win - already surpassing his own record of $34,109,019 set in a single season in 2019.
"I didn`t even know that record until a week before the Breeders` Cup," Ortiz added. "I never try to pay too much attention to numbers like that. I just ride and try to keep winning, and whatever happens at the end of the year, we`ll see how it goes. Thank God the last couple of years have been great."
Congratulations to the USA to the new record holder!
