Jose Ortiz, Chad Brown Win Titles at Belmont

Belmont Park's spring/summer meet wrapped up July 17, with jockey Jose Ortiz winning his third straight individual title on the New York Racing Association circuit and trainer Chad Brown earning his first at the 54-day meet.

Michael Dubb was the leading owner with 12 victories.

Ortiz, who won the 2015-16 inner track championship at Aqueduct Racetrack during the 19-day spring, finished with 78 winners of more than $5.7 million at Belmont, easily outdistancing his older brother, Irad Ortiz, Jr, who had 57 winners, and Manny Franco, who finished third with 56.

Among Jose Ortiz's biggest victories were the Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I) aboard Off the Tracks, the Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) with Unified, the Sheepshead Bay Stakes (gr. II) on Sea Calisi, and the Jaipur Invitational Stakes (gr. III) with Pure Sensation.

"I feel great. It's really a good accomplishment to win this meet," said Ortiz, who rode four winners Sunday including Miss Freeze, who took the $125,000 Lynbrook Stakes. "It's a tough meet because it's the best. I've been blessed to keep myself healthy and I ride for a lot of good trainers, and they gave me opportunities. I feel great about keeping the momentum going as we go up to Saratoga."

Brown, the leading trainer on the NYRA circuit in 2015, won at a nearly 29% clip, sending out 38 winners from 132 starters with earnings of $4.3 million. Finishing second with 25 winners was Todd Pletcher, and Linda Rice finished third with 22 wins.

Brown's top victories included the Man o' War Stakes (gr. IT) with Wake Forest, the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes (gr. IT) with Flintshire, the New York Stakes (gr. IIT) with Dacita, and the Sheepshead Bay.

Thoroughbred action moves upstate to Saratoga Race Course July 22 for the 40-day summer meet, featuring 69 stakes worth a record $18.725 million and highlighted by the $1.25 million Whitney (gr. I) Aug. 6 and the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 27.