One Week After $200,000,000 Worth Jockey Marked a Win at Belmont Another Puerto Rican Has Her Eyes Trained at the Prize

The equestrian community elevates its game on the racetrack as competition ramps up. The horse-rider teams are setting new standards and jumping off new benchmarks with millions of dollars in purse. The boots are never kept off while the horses remain ready to complement with power in a dynamic sports environment like horseback riding.

As the tally shifts, one cannot help but notice some Puerto Rican Champions at the top. A recent race just made it to the history books for Puerto Rico. What made it more exciting was the cross-nationality representation and an exciting event, to say the least. This is not all, another thrilling news just came days after the significant mark for another Puerto Rican.

Equestrian community welcomes the newest addition to the charts

The stellar streak began with an incredible gold won by Lauren Billys Shady, a Californian eventer who represents Puerto Rico in the sport. The two-time Olympian rode Can Be Sweet, a German gelding, winning her first Championship title and that too a gold! Her pride just doubled knowing this was the first time the tiny Caribbean island won a medal in eventing. Expressing her gratitude, she took to her Instagram and wrote a long message expressing her feelings.

She also praised her 11-year-old horse saying, “he’s a little pocket rocket,” reported by Eventing Nation. Two Mexican athletes, Luis Ariel Santiago Franco, and Fernando Parroquin Delfin, finished behind her. At the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador, where Mexico’s team won gold in the team events, Shady shone like a light, securing not one, but two titles. It was a crucial victory for her ahead of the 2023 Pan American Games which is notably bigger.

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This was just the start of Puerto Rico representation; another stunning feat was added to the portfolio of the Caribbean island from miles away. While an American-born wins gold in El Salvador, a Puerto Rican jockey has been winning titles in America for over a decade. With a total earning of nine figures you sure don’t want to miss out on NY’s homegrown name Irad Ortiz Jr. Do you know he is also one of the top jockeys in the world?

Everything you need to know about the star equestrian

Ortiz Jr’s journey is the one to go on books, as one of the legends who aced the horse racing spectacle. The 30-year-old equestrian’s tally is so impressive that it would take you hours to browse through each one of them. According to Americasbestracing, his lifetime earnings are $285,208,575 which is well, a lot! Some of his triple title wins include Breeders’ Cup, Juvenile Turf Sprint, Pegasus World Cup Turf, Just a Game Stakes, Flower Bowl Stakes, Spinaway Stakes, Manhattan Stakes, and the Whitney Stakes.

He shares the name and passion of his grandfather Irad Ortiz and his uncle Iván Ortiz. Starting off his journey as a junior in his native place, he moved to the States with the help of his grandfather’s friend. Since then, there has been no looking back for the rider. He moved to New York in June 2011 and almost 12 years later his riding win record has come close to 200, just this year! On June 18, he rode five winning horses among which was the $200,000 Bed o’ Roses. The Puerto Rican’s history is aspirational and filled with victories, leaving fans with tough choices as the battle heats up.

Who earns your vote? Lauren Billys Shady or Irad Ortiz Jr.?

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