Uncle Sigh was second to Samraat in the Withers and Gotham stakes. Uncle Sigh, named after Duck Dynasty TV personality Uncle Si, is owned by the Wounded Warrior Stables and Anthony Robertson. The farm is owned by Leonard Riggio, chair of Banes & Noble. Samraat is owned by My Meadowview Farm and trained by Rick Violette, Jr. The horses they will ride have a rivalry going. So they go out there, and they do their job every day," said Contessa. "One day, the younger brother claimed foul against the older brother in a race. Irad said their father and grandfather, both named Irad, will attend the Derby, along with their mother, Vilma Morales.Ĭontessa also said the two jockeys put family ties and brotherly love aside when they ride. But when we go home we are brothers," said Jose. Jose, who lives with his brother near Belmont Park race track in New York, echoed that. "He's my brother, but business is business. "We always race together, our whole life … a lot of races, we do a lot of races together," said Irad. Irad led with about $5 million in earnings Jose was second with about $4.9 million. The Ortiz brothers finished 1-2 in the 2013-2014 meet on the inner track at Aqueduct in New York. In that race won by Swale, Eddie was third on At The Threshold and Sam was 13th on Taylor's Special. Jose and Irad will be the first brothers to ride in the same Derby since Eddie and Sam Maple in 1984. On Saturday, they will compete with Velazquez, who will ride Intense Holiday. Their jockey idols growing up were native Puerto Ricans Angel Cordero Jr. We were in the school for two years," said Irad. When they turned 16, they entered the Escuela Vocacional Hipica, a school for aspiring jockeys. Their grandfather and uncle were jockeys in Puerto Rico.Īt the start as kids, the two brothers used to sneak onto the Hipodrom Camaerero track in Puerto Rico. We are going to both race in the Kentucky Derby. So it's our dream come true for both of us," said Jose. ![]() "I feel good because I know my brother's dream is to ride in the Kentucky Derby, and it's my dream, too. In phone interviews from New York this week, both brothers said they were basically pinching themselves. Jose, 20, will ride another New York-bred, Samraat, the sixth choice at 5-1. Those two guys are great."Ĭontessa will have Irad, 21, abroad New York-bred Uncle Sigh (30-1) on Saturday. Whoever taught those two Ortiz brothers made them sensational riders. "I liken those two brothers to Eli Manning and Peyton Manning,'' says New York trainer Gary Contessa. They've come far in a hurry since participating in a high school program for jockey training in their native Puerto Rico. Irad is sixth and Jose is seventh in the Equibase North American jockey standings this year. They're leading riders on the New York Racing Association (NYRA) circuit. – Battlers on the track and video game-playing, young brothers in the home they share in New York, jockeys Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz, Jr., will ride out their childhood dreams when they saddle up Saturday in the Kentucky Derby. The full Derby Day schedule is available here.LOUSVILLE, Ky. Derby Day coverage can also be viewed on Peacock, and the NBC Sports app. ET on Saturday with coverage of the early races leading up to the Triple Crown race. NBC will begin its Derby Day broadcast at 12 p.m. It is the most exciting two minutes in sports. The main event on Saturday, May 6 is slated for 6:57 p.m. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |