![]() Ortiz won the first Championship race of the weekend on Twilight Gleaming (IRE) in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) and then added Saturday victories in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) with Golden Pal and the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) with Life Is Good.īuick also had one victory Friday on Modern Games (IRE) in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) and then two on Saturday with Space Blues (IRE) in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) presented by PDJF and Yibir (GB) in the Longines Turf (G1). Ortiz and William Buick both won three races, but Ortiz also had a runner-up finish and three fourth-place finishes while Buick finished fifth with his only other mount. The Shoemaker Award goes to the jockey who won the most races in the 14 World Championship races this weekend with the tiebreaker being a 10-3-1 point system for second- through fourth-place finishes. won his fourth consecutive Bill Shoemaker Award, given to the most outstanding jockey at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar. Wins Fourth Consecutive Bill Shoemaker Award Kentucky Derby winner Mage will not compete in the Belmont Stakes but Preakness winner National Treasure will run with two-time Belmont Stakes-winning jockey John Velazquez aboard.Īlso seeking a third Belmont Stakes victory is jockey Irad Ortiz, who rode 2022 Belmont champion Mo Donegal and mounts Forte, who was fancied by oddsmakers at the Kentucky Derby before being a late scratch due to a foot injury that also kept the horse from the Preakness.įorte is the 5-2 favorite in this year's Belmont field followed by Tapit Trice (3-1), Angel of Empire (7-2) and National Treasure (5-1).Irad Ortiz Jr. Horse safety has been under scrutiny during this year's Triple Crown run after the Kentucky Derby was clouded by a spate of deaths at Churchill Downs that included two on Derby day and eight within three weeks.Īt last month's Preakness in Baltimore, Havnameltdown suffered a catastrophic front left leg injury during the sixth race of the day and had to be euthanized on the track at Pimlico Race Course. If the index ranks between 150-200, horses would need to pass a pre-race veterinarian exam to compete. The Belmont Stakes would be canceled if the air quality index at Belmont Park is beyond 200, considered very unhealthy. Hochul said "enhanced measures" have been instituted to protect horses, riders and spectators. "There's no assurance of what the weather is going to be, so it's going to be a last-minute decision, I'm sure," Hochul said. New York governor Kathy Hochul warned Thursday that the Belmont Stakes would be canceled if air quality is too unhealthy. The NYRA will continue to monitor air quality conditions and forecasts to ensure the environment remains safe for spectators, horses and riders. The 155th running of the annual US flat racing Triple Crown event was put in jeopardy Thursday after all activities at the facility were halted due to poor air quality in New York.Īir quality conditions made major improvements on Friday, enough to allow Belmont to reopen after consultation with the New York State Gaming Commission and New York Racing Association (NYRA).īelmont Park also reopened for training on Friday morning, allowing the nine-horse field for Saturday's $1.5 million Belmont Stakes a workout on the eve of the 1 1/2-mile showdown for three-year-olds.
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