Jose Ortiz Rides Five Winners at Aqueduct
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Jose Ortiz
Jose Ortiz extended his domination of the fall meet jockey standings Nov. 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack, with five winners from seven mounts on Friday's program.
Ortiz started the day with a natural hat trick, picking up victories with Battle Midway ($26.80), a main-track-only entrant in the first race; Perina's Pride ($5.30), a four-length, first-time-out winner in the second; and Even Thunder ($7.40) in the third, the $100,000 King's Swan for 2-year-old sprinters.
The 23-year-old journeyman found himself back in the winner's circle two races later, with the main-track-entered James Lane ($4.50), a 3-year-old maiden special weight winner. Ortiz closed out his winning day with Don Dulce ($5) in the seventh.
This is the fourth time the Puerto Rican native has recorded a five-win day, all in 2016. Ortiz also piloted five winners at the Big A March 6 and April 2, and at Saratoga Race Course Sept. 3.
"I'll take it any day," said Ortiz, who tops the jockey standings at the Aqueduct fall meet with 34 wins, and also currently leads all North American jockeys in wins with 332 in 2016. "I tried to tie the record at six wins, but I'm very happy. I had a good day and finished healthy. It's all about the horses. I had a good card and they showed up, so I was OK. That's horse racing."