“You Know What Happens in That Race”: Jockey Breaks Silence on Riding Kentucky Derby Favorite Forte

Irad Ortiz Jr., a jockey from Puerto Rico, has been one of the top riders on the New York Thoroughbred circuit since 2012. As an equestrian who has competed in the prestigious Kentucky Derby on numerous occasions since 2014, Ortiz has a fair amount of fame. The 30-year-old has experience riding a Derby favorite, having ridden Improbable in the 2019 Kentucky Derby. The equestrian superstar has yet to add a Derby victory to his resume, but he hopes to do so this year.

Horse Racing Nation reports that current favorite Forte will have Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle for the 2023 Kentucky Derby. But even though Ortiz is confident in his ability to get along with the Derby favorite, he brings up something more crucial than riding the Derby favorite.

A perfect opportunity for the equestrian star

The equestrian superstar is no stranger to riding the pre-race favorite, as he did so on Improbable in the 2019 Kentucky Derby. Irad Ortiz Jr., on the other hand, rode the horse normally, finishing in fifth place before being bumped up to fourth. Despite a stellar career, he has never come out on top in the equestrian world’s most prestigious competition. This year, though, Ortiz is optimistic since he has partnered with Forte, who might make him a Kentucky Derby winner.

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Weeks before the Derby, as reported by Horse Racing Nation, Ortiz said, “Maybe you go into the Derby with the best chance, but you know what happens in that race. For sure, it’s the best chance I’ve had in the past couple years. He’s going in as the favorite, so hopefully we stay sound together.” The 30-year-old is as committed as any equestrian would be to winning this year’s Derby on the back of the pre-race favorite, and he has been connecting with the horse in preparation for the event.

The supremacy of Ortiz and Forte is shown by their six wins in seven races together. After securing the 2-year-old male title with his victory in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland, Forte rested for four months under trainer Todd Pletcher and then won as the heavy favorite twice at Gulfstream Park.

A notable career and much more to come

The professional equestrian competitions began for Irad Ortiz Jr. in 2011. The 30-year-old’s popularity has skyrocketed thanks to his 9,104 podium finishes in his whole career, which has included 17,444 starts. He has won 3,513 races, finished second 2,987 times, and third 2,604 times. The star, who hopes to win the Kentucky Derby in 2023 for the first time, has racked up a lifetime total of almost $274,629,392.

The star’s victory percentage this year, at 27%, is the greatest of his career; his win percentage the previous year, at 24%, was his second-best. Ortiz’s 2022 earnings were around $37,075,772, making it the biggest of his career. The Puerto Rican has had a rocky professional path from the beginning but has always managed to shine through by competing to the best of his abilities.

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Ortiz is just as impressed by Forte’s skill as everyone else, and he can’t wait to compete with the horse in the 2023 Kentucky Derby.