Moore, Irad Ortiz Jr. Face Penalties After BC Rides

Jockeys Ryan Moore and Irad Ortiz Jr. were penalized by the California Horse Racing Board stewards following their rides aboard Auguste Rodin  and Goodnight Olive , respectively, in the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Moore was handed one of the largest fines in California history of $20,800 for excessive striking. The European rider hit Auguste Rodin seven times en route to his victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park, which is one strike over the six-strike limit defined by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority in Rule #2280. 

The HISA ruling calls for a "$250 fine or a forfeiture of 10% of the jockey's purse portion of the purse, whichever is greater." The $20,800 represents 10% of the $208,000 Moore received for the win in the $4 million Turf.

Moore was also suspended one day (Nov. 12) and assigned three violation points that will be expunged from his record on May 5, 2024, for violating HISA Rule #2282 (Riding Crop and Penalties) on a first offense.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien had praised Moore for his shrewd ride on Auguste Rodin in the Turf, in which the jockey snuck the 3-year-old colt through a small opening on the rail on his way to victory. The Turf winner is owned by partners Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and Westerberg.

Moore had a successful Breeders' Cup weekend, as he also piloted the O'Brien-trained Unquestionable  to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) Nov. 3 and Warm Heart  to a runner-up finish in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T). He also rode Aesop's Fables , for the same connections, to a third-place showing in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T).

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. was not fined but suspended for careless riding for three racing days (Nov. 12, 17, and 18) for his ride on the Chad Brown-trained Goodnight Olive in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) that same afternoon. Goodnight Olive won by 2 3/4 lengths but had drifted into the path of Society  at the three-sixteenths pole before being corrected.

The stewards ruled in pursuant to CHRB rule #1766 that Ortiz failed "to maintain a straight course in the stretch and caused interference."

Ortiz increased his Breeders' Cup win tally to 20 after notching wins aboard Goodnight Olive, White Abarrio  (Breeders' Cup Classic, G1), and Elite Power   (Breeders' Cup Sprint, G1). He was honored with the Bill Shoemaker Award as the outstanding jockey of the Breeders' Cup for the fifth time.