The year 2026 may be the Year of the Horse according to Chinese astrology, but 2026 is also undoubtedly the year of Jose Ortiz. Adding to his already lengthy list of graded stakes races this year, Ortiz closed out the spring meet at Churchill Downs with wins in the Stephen Foster (G1), the Wise Dan (G2), and the Debutante. Ortiz may have finished in second place in the Churchill Downs jockey standings, but he led all riders with 11 stakes wins.
The panel of racing experts voted Ortiz Jockey of the Week for June 22-June 28.
On Saturday, Ortiz was named on five horses for Steve Asmussen, winning the third race before the Hall of Fame trainer gave Ortiz a leg up on Lagynos in the Wise Dan Stakes (G2). Off as the 3-2 favorite in the field of nine, Lagynos saved ground racing in third. Near the three-sixteenths pole, Lagynos came off the rail to take the lead and win by 3/4-lengths in 1:41.68 for a mile and one-sixteenth on the turf. It was the fifth consecutive stakes win for the 4-year-old with Ortiz in the irons.
"He's just a special horse," Ortiz said to Churchill Downs publicity. "He gives me so much confidence every time I get on him because he always shows up. He proved that again today."
Asmussen and Ortiz teamed up again one race later with Magnitude in the feature race, the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1). The race was billed as the "Summer Showdown," with a field that included 2025 Kentucky Derby hero Sovereignty, four-time Grade I-winning 7-year-old White Abarrio and Grade I winner Baeza.
Magnitude, the 5-2 second choice, broke through the starting gate before the start but was reloaded without incident. The 4-year-old then broke on top from post position five and made every pole a winning one for a 1-1/4 length win in 1:48.03 for a mile and one-eighth. It was the fourth win of the day for Ortiz.
"He's an incredible horse," Ortiz said. "I figured we'd make the lead if he broke well because he has such a high cruising speed. Sometimes he switches leads, but he just keeps fighting."
Ortiz was aboard Magnitude earlier in the year, defeating global superstar Forever Young (JPN) in the Dubai World Cup (G1).
On Sunday, Ortiz piloted Pierette to a win in the Debutante Stakes for trainer Mark Casse. The 5-2 favorite in the field of eight, Pierette raced inside just off the pace until the top of the stretch, when Ortiz guided the 2-year-old outside, closing powerfully to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:10.71 for six furlongs.
Ortiz now heads to Saratoga for opening day on Friday, July 3.
Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Javier Castellano with a stakes win, Yedsit Hazlewood with a stakes win and leading rider title at Laurel, Corey Lanerie, who retired from riding as Churchill Downs second all-time leading rider, Irad Ortiz, Jr. with two graded stakes wins and the leading rider title at Churchill Downs, and Luis Saez with two graded stakes wins.
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