The ultimate weekend of the 2025-2026 championship meet will likely be spent honoring out-of-town commitments, however jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. put the ending touches on his anticipated record-extending seventh driving title Sunday at Gulfstream Park.
The 33-year-old jockey received his first 3-year-old particular grade race 5 driving Brian Lynch-trained favourite Zakynthos ($4.60), and with 4 races remaining, he had a 19-win lead over second place Tyler Gaffalione (408 mounts), ending the nation’s finest winter race with 82 wins out of 312 mounts.
That is Ortiz’s fourth consecutive Championship Equestrian title and his seventh general, simply shy of the feat set by Corridor of Famer Javier Castellano in 2011-2012 and 2015-2016. Final winter, Ortiz grew to become the primary jockey to win his sixth driving title.
Ortiz mentioned, “I am completely satisfied. It was an excellent assembly.” “As at all times, I might prefer to thank all of the trainers and homeowners for his or her nice assist. I am completely satisfied to win one other title right here. It is nice. My agent is doing an excellent job. I am actually completely satisfied and completely satisfied to be right here.”
Ortiz, represented by Steve Dashing, completed second behind Gaffalione with $3.94 million in prize cash earned within the championship occasion. His wins embrace six stakes, together with the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Commandment’s Mucho Macho Man, Ahead Gal (G3) ridden by Ontime Woman, and the Fort Lauderdale (G3) ridden by Wolfie’s Dinoghost.
On December 13, White Claw Girl, skilled by Jose D’Angelo, gave Ortiz his 1,000th profession victory at Gulfstream Park. Already a five-time Eclipse Award winner, he completed second within the 2025 voting regardless of main the nation with 351 wins and setting a North American report with $40,498,792 in prize cash.
Ortiz missed final weekend with decrease again ache after his mount A Second A Love modified path after breaking via the gate at Gulfstream on March 12 and was thrown to the turf whereas trying to leap over a makeshift interior rail. He returned to motion Saturday at Turfway Park, and Sunday was his first day again at Gulfstream.
“It is an exquisite place within the winter. I like the circuit. I like the folks. I like the folks operating the circuit. I have been coming right here for years and I like all the things about it,” Ortiz mentioned. “We’ve got some good prep races and a few nice younger horses right here to discover a Derby winner. The dream begins right here at Gulfstream.”
