Ortiz Jr., Rosario Receive Three-Day Suspensions
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. with trainer Todd Pletcher
The final days of the Saratoga Race Course meet will be a little less hectic for jockeys Irad Ortiz Jr. and Joel Rosario as three-racing-day careless riding suspensions for both riders were announced Aug. 24.
Rosario received an Aug. 28-Sept. 1 ban for his ride on Sassy Melissa , who was disqualified from third to fourth in the third race at the Spa Aug. 18.
Ortiz, the leading rider at the meet, was handed an Aug. 31-Sept. 2 suspension after Nabokov was disqualified from fifth and placed sixth for bumping a rival in the eighth race Aug. 18.
Both jockeys waived their right to an appeal.
Ortiz ended Wednesday's card with an eight-win lead over Luis Saez (42-34) in the race for leading rider at the meet.