Kentucky Derby 2025 jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.: Meet the rider of the horse Publisher
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Kentucky Derby 151 preview
Click below to view more coverage from the Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com previewing the 151st Kentucky Derby to be held May 3, 2025, at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
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From the time jockey Javier Castellano won the 2023 Kentucky Derby riding Mage, an unhappy mantle passed to Irad Ortiz Jr.: the best active jockey who has not won the Run for the Roses.
A product of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, the 32-year-old Ortiz has been a dominant presence in North American thoroughbred horse racing over the past decade.
Ortiz has won the Eclipse Award as North America’s Outstanding Jockey five times — 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. He has led North American riders in total wins eight years in a row and has been either first (four times) or second (twice) in earnings in each of the past six years.
Twenty times, Ortiz has booted a horse home first in a Breeders’ Cup race.
What Ortiz has yet to do is finish on the board in the Kentucky Derby.
In eight previous rides, his best finish is fourth on Improbable in 2019. Over the past two Derbys, Ortiz has come home 18th on Cyclone Mischief in 2023 and 13th on Domestic Product last year.
This year, Ortiz is set to rider Arkansas Derby runner-up Publisher, a 20-1 shot in the morning line, for trainer Steve Asmussen.
Publisher has yet to win in seven career starts. Ortz will ride him for the first time in the Kentucky Derby.
“I’ve been watching all his (past) races,” Ortiz told FanDuel Racing about Publisher. “I think he’s a really nice horse. He’s been running some tough races in his last few starts. He’s been showing up, he’s been showing he’s got the ability to be in this race. And I think he can go the mile-and-a-quarter (distance of the Derby) really well.”
Here are the things you need to know about Irad Ortiz Jr.:
▪ Kentucky Derby track record: In eight previous Derbys, he has only finished in the top 10 four times, and never better than fourth.
▪ Other Triple Crown races: Has won the Belmont Stakes twice, aboard Creator in 2016 and Mo Donegal in 2022. Has been second in the Belmont three times and third once. Has finished second in the Preakness Stakes twice.
▪ Breeders’ Cup results: Of his 20 victories, two have come in the Classic — 2019 aboard Vino Rosso and 2023 on White Abarrio.
▪ Career statistics: Through races of May 1, he has ridden 510 times this year with 105 wins, a 21% win percentage, with earnings of $9,576,171.
For his career, he has ridden in 20,573 races with 4,176 wins, a 20% win percentage, with earnings of $347,539,933.
▪ Career honors: Has won the Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding jockey in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023.
▪ Worth noting: Is the older brother of fellow jockey Jose Ortiz.
This story was originally published May 2, 2025 at 11:32 AM.
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