Ortiz Rides 3,000th Winner at Churchill Downs

Jockey Jose Ortiz celebrated a career milestone June 9 as he won his 3,000th career race aboard Save the Trees  in the third race at Churchill Downs.

Settling off the pace early in the six furlong starter allowance, Ortiz swung five horses wide into the stretch, but the 3-year-old Preservationist   gelding flourished in the open space. Save the Trees quickly kicked past his competition and opened up to a 2 ¾ length victory.

Ortiz returned to the winner's circle to the cheers of his family, friends, and fellow riders.

"I'm very happy," Ortiz said. "It's been a lot of races, a lot of people that helped me along the way. I'm very thankful."

Ortiz's riding career began with a bang in 2012, winning 98 races from 697 starts. Since then, Ortiz has won at least 200 races per year in all but one season since 2013, including a career high 351 winners in 2016—leading all jockeys in North America. Horses ridden by Ortiz have won nearly $250 million.

Among Ortiz's many accomplishments are victories in the 2022 Preakness Stakes (G1) aboard Early Voting   and 2017 Belmont Stakes (G1) aboard Tapwrit  . Ortiz won the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey in 2017. He has won five Breeders' Cup races and a total of 232 graded stakes, including 60 grade 1 wins.

Ortiz has typically ridden in New York, but this year moved his tack to Kentucky for the spring meet at Churchill Downs.