Ortiz Jr., Prat Take Rivalry to Breeders' Cup

After putting on a show at Saratoga Race Course, jockeys Irad Ortiz Jr. and Flavien Prat appear well positioned to engage in a similar battle at the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships—this time with an Eclipse Award potentially on the line.

Five-time Eclipse winner Ortiz finished with 52 wins at Saratoga to secure a third straight riding title at the prestigious summer meeting. But Prat stayed close throughout, finishing second with 45 wins, and landed atop the earnings list for the meeting at $6,610,757 with Oritz second at more than $5.1 million. Prat powered his way to that earnings title with a record 18 stakes wins at the meet.

Now the two riders, both 32, go into the Breeders' Cup where they'll likely be less than $1 million apart in 2024 North American purse earnings as Ortiz leads at $28,430,930 through Oct. 23 with Prat just behind in second at $27,852,761. They have opened some separation from the rest of the field with Tyler Gaffalione in third, about $2.5 million behind Prat.

While Breeders' Cup mounts will shake out this weekend and be announced when the draw is conducted Oct. 28, one expected mount for Ortiz would be likely Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) favorite Cogburn . Cogburn enters on a three-race win streak—all under Ortiz—which includes a 3 1/2-length score in the Jaipur Stakes (G1T) June 8 at Saratoga.

Probable mounts for Prat are expected to include undefeated dual grade 1 winner Chancer McPatrick  in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). Prat has been aboard for all three of the son of McKinzie  's starts in which he has rallied to win each, including scores in the Hopeful (G1) and Champagne (G1) stakes. (Last out Prat also guided Juvenile hopeful Gaming  to victory in the Del Mar Futurity [G1]).

In the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), Prat figures to ride Raging Sea , who has won four of her past five starts—all under Prat. She enters off a narrow victory in the Beldame Stakes (G2).

Ortiz has won the past two Eclipse Awards for outstanding rider and five of the past six awards. He has finished first in both North American wins and earnings in each of the past two years. He has topped the wins list seven times and topped the earnings list five times. Since 2019 Prat, who is looking for his first Eclipse, has finished in the top five in earnings four times and since 2020 he has ranked in the top 10 in wins three times.

Through Oct. 23, Prat had won 47 North American graded stakes while Ortiz had secured 33 this year.

In the Breeders' Cup, Prat has notched five victories since 2016 and ranks 14th on the event's all-time purse earnings list at $13,045,345. With three wins in last year's World Championships at Santa Anita Park including a Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) win on White Abarrio , Ortiz nailed down his 20th Breeders' Cup victory since 2012. He ranks fourth in all-time Breeders' Cup earnings at $27,780,345.