At Top of Game, Ortiz Brothers Maintain Family Bond

[Wandering Eyes]

By the time 2018 came to a close, Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Jose Ortiz had firmly established themselves atop the nationwide jockey standings, distancing themselves from the chase pack in the earnings race by millions of dollars. With Irad generating $27.7 million and his younger brother, Jose, ending the year with $26.8 million, the Puerto Rican duo is poised to once again contend for the Eclipse Award for champion rider to be presented at Gulfstream Park on the evening of Thursday, Jan. 24. On the heels of a breakout 2017 campaign which saw Jose top the jockey standings and bring home his first Eclipse Award, Irad will hope to claim one of his own for the 2018 season. The brothers, who are on-track competitors on a daily basis, sat down with the TDN‘s Christina Bossinakis to discuss how they balance their desire to win with a deeply rooted brotherly love.

TDN: It seems like riding was in your blood since day one. Did you ever have a thought that you wanted to do anything else?

IO: Not really…I was just waiting to turn 16 to get into a jockey school. And my mom said, ‘No, you can’t do that. You’re going to school.’ So they put me in a school…[But] I knew what I wanted to be in my life–I wanted to be a jockey. I was working on my weight early, like at age 15, so I worked every day to try to stay ready when I turned 16.

TDN: And Jose, did you decide to be a rider because of Irad, or did you want to be one anyway?

JO: No, I wanted to be a rider already…If it wasn’t for our dad, we probably wouldn’t know anything about horse racing. But because of him I knew what I wanted to be. I tried to follow in Irad’s footsteps, but I knew I wanted to go there too. It was a little bit harder for me to keep my weight down because I was a little taller, but I worked it out and here we are.

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TDN: You guys clearly have a lot of brotherly love, but how do you balance that thread with the desire to win races as competitors on a daily basis? How do you manage the two?

JO: Out there, we have to ride for our owners and trainers–there is a lot of money on the line in the game. So Irad rides for his connections, and I ride for mine. If I have to try to race ride him a little bit, I will. And if he has to race ride me, I understand. As long as you do it with class, it doesn’t matter.

TDN: You both have accomplished so much in your young careers. Do you still have any goals that you’re hoping to accomplish? Are there any achievements that you would like to define your careers?

IO: The Kentucky Derby, and an Eclipse Award, for me. Those are my big goals.

JO: I want to win the Derby and go to Dubai. I haven’t been to Dubai yet. Let’s see if I can go this year.

TDN: Both of you are in the run for the Eclipse Award this year and, Jose, you won it last year. Irad, how would feel if Jose won another one this year?

IO: Great. I mean, that would be good. If he won, I’m okay with that–you know, I’m happy for him. He deserves it, he works so hard. He’s always on the line. He does everything right, he does everything so perfect. You have to follow him if you want to be a nice man, you wanna be a nice person…He’s so perfect sometimes. Nobody’s perfect but, he’s very close, he’s very close to it…I helped him a lot from the beginning, and I want to see him on top, and he’s on top right now.

TDN: How about you, Jose? How would you feel if your brother won his first Eclipse Award?

JO: I’d feel very happy for him, because I know how badly he wants to win it. And if he wins it, he deserves everything. He’s working very hard. I’ve been watching him put a lot of work in this year. He’s going to Parx, he’s working hard, waking up early every day. Even if he doesn’t have to work, he’s out there. I’m here where I am because of him…If he wins, I’ll feel like I have two Eclipse Awards now.

 

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