‘Trying Something Different,’ Jose Ortiz Dominating at Fair Grounds

[Wandering Eyes]

“Try something different, you know? Sometimes it's good for you.”

Those are the words of jockey Jose Ortiz, currently in a race of his own atop the standings with 44 winners (through Thursday, Jan. 16) in his first winter riding at Fair Grounds. Jareth Loveberry is a distant second with 29 winners.

A mainstay on the New York Racing Association circuit for more than a decade (he was leading rider there three times–2016, 2020 & 2021) and also a regular at Gulfstream Park's Championship Meet, the 31-year-old decided to shake things up last spring.

“We made a family decision to move to Kentucky, and we started riding for different trainers there,” said Ortiz, who has three young children with his wife, former jockey Taylor Rice.

“Some of those trainers go to Fair Grounds instead of Florida (in the winter) and that led to the decision to ride there. I can ride for the same people year-round. I discussed it with (agent) Steve (Rushing), and, at the end of the day, we both agreed Fair Grounds was the right place to winter.”

Ortiz added, “I'm very happy down there. All the horsemen have embraced me with open arms.”

The Ortiz family: Jose, Taylor, Leilani, Derek & Nikolai | Coglianese

Have they ever.

Ortiz is booked to ride in 11 of the 12 races on Saturday's stacked GIII Lecomte Stakes program, including the Steve Asmussen-trained Magnitude (Not This Time) in the main event. The Winchell Thoroughbreds colorbearer finished a distant second behind Lecomte 3-1 morning-line favorite Built (Hard Spun) in the Gun Runner Stakes Dec. 21. The Lecomte offers 20-10-6-4-2 points on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby.

“These horses are just starting to develop, we'll see who's who,” Ortiz said of the deep 14-horse field. “It's a very exciting time of the year. This is one of the reasons I went to Fair Grounds. I think their Derby preps are very competitive. You can get nice 3-year-olds there, fillies and colts.”

Cherie DeVaux will give Ortiz a leg up aboard C R K Stable's Skinner (Curlin) one race earlier in the GIII Louisiana Stakes. Skinner was transferred to DeVaux following a breakthrough victory for John Shirreffs in the GIII Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 23. DeVaux and Ortiz teamed up for a win with More Than Looks (More Than Ready) in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar.

“You know when they give you that feeling of a good horse. He gave me that (after working him),” Ortiz said.

“He was very good in California and we know he has a ton of ability. It's first time for Cherie here and first time for me riding him, but we really like the horse. He's doing great and I'm very excited to be on him. He can be a very exciting older horse this year. Cherie has given me these type of opportunities to ride for her and I'm very thankful to be one of the main go-to guys.”

Skinner | Benoit

Other live mounts for Ortiz on the Lecomte undercard include: Gigante (Not This Time) (Colonel E.R. Bradley Stakes) (Asmussen); Nanda Dea (Arg) (Fortify) (Marie G. Krantz Memorial Stakes) (Ignacio Correas IV); Demolition Duke (Good Magic) (Duncan F. Kenner Stakes) (Brendan Walsh); and the promising 3-year-old maiden Cromwell (Quality Road) (maiden special weight) (DeVaux).

Ortiz, the year-younger brother of leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr., won the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey in 2017. He rode 276 winners in 2024, good for $26,004,396 in earnings.  The latter figure was fourth highest in the nation.

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