Ortiz Jr. Sidelined With Knee Injury

Irad Ortiz Jr., hurt in a starting gate accident at Gulfstream Park Jan. 7, remains sidelined while recovering from a knee injury.

After being diagnosed earlier this week with a minor knee fracture that could require an additional 3-4 weeks to heal, the rider received a second medical opinion Jan. 12, and was told it was a bone contusion, not a fracture, agent Steve Rushing wrote in a text message. He is to be re-evaluated Jan. 18, Rushing added. 

The three-time Eclipse Award-winning Ortiz initially took off his remaining Friday mounts after his accident and those over the weekend with the hope that he could resume riding this week. His injury occurred before the eighth race Friday when his mount, Shea On a Mission , became unruly in the starting gate. She was scratched.

Ortiz, 29, was the second leading rider by North American earnings in 2021, trailing only Joel Rosario. Ortiz ranked first by victories with 336 wins despite missing part of December while he served a 30-day suspension for careless riding issued by Aqueduct Racetrack stewards.

He resumed riding Jan. 6 at Gulfstream and won four races over two days before his injury.

If Ortiz can heal rapidly from his knee injury, he could potentially return for a key mount in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 29 at Gulfstream on China Horse Club and WinStar Farm's Life is Good . A late-January return appeared improbable based on his projected recovery timetable announced from a perceived fracture.