Irad Ortiz Jr. (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Darren Rogers/Churchill Downs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Irad Ortiz Jr., the five-time Eclipse Award winner and national money leader as well as North America’s top jockey in races won every year since 2017, has moved his tack from New York to Kentucky for the fall season, adding even more star power to the Churchill Downs riding colony.
“My agent (Steve Rushing) and I have talked about this for a little while now,” Ortiz Jr. said. “There’s a lot of business in Kentucky and the racing is really strong.”
Ortiz rode four races Thursday evening at Churchill Downs and won two: Our Girl for trainer Brad Cox and Show Time for Norm Casse. Ortiz is named to ride in 21 races through the weekend.
So far this year, Ortiz ranks second in North America with more than $26 million in purse earnings, trailing only Flavien Prat by about $2.5 million.
Ortiz joins his younger brother, two-time Churchill Downs leading rider Jose Ortiz, in the local jock’s colony. Both are represented by Rushing.
Alpine Princess Aiming For First Graded Stakes Score In Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove
Full of Run Racing II and Madaket Stable’s Alpine Princess will attempt to garner her first graded stakes score in Saturday’s $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove (Grade II) at Churchill Downs.
“I think this is a good spot for her to try and get one,” trainer Brad Cox said. “She came out of the Groupie Doll well and I we’re hopeful she can get the job done on Saturday.”
Alpine Princess, winner of the $100,000 Mari Hulman George Memorial at Indiana Grand in July, finished third and was beaten 1 ¼ lengths by Impel and Regaled in the $200,000 Groupie Doll over one mile at Ellis Park on Aug. 10.
Dann Glick, managing partner for Full of Run Racing II, echoed Cox’s sentiments.
“I think it’s a good spot for her to try and get a graded stakes win,” Glick said. “Getting Irad (Ortiz Jr.) on her doesn’t hurt things either.”
Run at 1 1/16 miles, the Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove goes as Race 7 on the 11-race program with a post time of 3:54 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 12:45 p.m.
The field for the Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove
Compton Ships In Two-Horse Charge For Iroquois, Pocahontas
Trainer Greg Compton will try to strike twice on Churchill Downs’ Saturday stakes card with Mag Racing’s Nothing Personal in the $300,000 Iroquois (Grade III) and Embrace the Moment in the $300,000 Pocahontas (GIII).
“We’re excited to be here with these two horses,” Compton said. “They were both nice maiden winners this summer and looking forward to taking a shot with them both.”
Nothing Personal, listed at 8-1 on the morning line, was a dominant 8 ¾-length maiden special weight winner on Aug. 9 at Colonial Downs while earning an 86 Brisnet Speed Rating. A son of Violence, Nothing Personal was a $270,000 purchase at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The chestnut colt is the fourth foal out of the Wando mare Will She, who was a stakes winner in Canada.
In the Pocahontas, Embrace the Moment will attempt to score a stakes victory following her gate-to-wire maiden special weight win two weeks ago at Delaware Park. The daughter of Yaupon defeated five rivals that day by 1 ¾ lengths as the 2-5 favorite.
Both horses will be ridden by Delaware Park leading rider Jaime Rodriguez.
The Iroquois and the Pocahontas kick off the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, respectively. Each race will award qualifying points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale.
Both races are also part of the Breeders’ Cup “Dirt Dozen” series where the top three nominated finishers earn credits toward entry fees in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) or Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) on Friday, Oct. 31 at Del Mar.
DOWN THE STRETCH … … ….. …..
Friday’s card at Churchill Downs featured a $3,353 carryover in the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot, spanning Races 5-10. First post was 12:45 p.m. …
Barn 5A was buzzing with excitement Friday morning after Norm Casse’s well-spotted, three-win night Thursday. Casse’s evening started with a double in Races 2 and 3 with Ultimate Strike ($3.78 to win) and Colonial Rose ($3.56) and then won the finale with Show Time ($6.44). “It was a really good night all around,” Casse said Friday morning. Off the track, Casse’s beloved American League East-leading Toronto Blue Jays also recorded a 6-0 shutout win over the Houston Astros, cementing his night. …
While Churchill Downs’ bugler Steve Buttleman enjoys a well-deserved vacation, several trumpeters will take up residence in the pagoda. Will Lovan, the bugler at Red Mile, will fill in Friday and Saturday. Jason Hoagland, the band director at Austin High School, was the bugler Thursday evening and returns Sunday and Thursday, Sept. 18. Phil Thomas, who works as the bugler for the Devon Horse Show and Pennsylvania National Horse Show, will fill in Wednesday and Friday, Sept. 19. Finally, Colt Howell, who was the brass instructor at North Bullitt High School, will fill in Saturday, Sept. 20. …
Join Darren Rogers and Kevin Kerstein for the return of “Inside Churchill Downs” beginning Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN Louisville. This week’s show will cover all the action from opening week of the September Meet including handicapping the five stakes on Saturday’s card. Those outside the Louisville area can listen live on www.espnlouisville.com. …
Happy Birthday wishes are extended to jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who turned 31-years-old on Friday. …
Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association will award $20,000 in scholarships during College Day on Saturday, highlighted by student activities and a meet-and-greet with the Bellarmine men’s basketball team. College students who present a valid student ID will receive free admission and be eligible for $20,000 in scholarships, including one $10,000 award and five $2,000 awards. One of the scholarships is reserved for children of backstretch employees. …
For the latest information about the Churchill Downs September Meet, visit www.churchilldowns.com and follow Churchill Downs on all social media platforms.
