Irad Ortiz Jr. storms back with Saratoga win in record-breaking return

Irad Ortiz Jr. wasted no time in his Saratoga return, winning his first race of the meet on Sunday.

On July 13, Irad Ortiz Jr. rode Malibu Spirit to victory in the second race at Saratoga. The $28,200 claimer paid $28.20 to win, giving Ortiz his first win of the 2025 Saratoga meet. The Hall of Fame jockey had missed the opening six days of the meet after suspensions and a prior commitment at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Ortiz now has seven Saratoga riding titles, including four straight from 2022-2025. His Sunday win marked his first at the Spa since returning from suspensions. Flavien Prat leads the meet with 15 wins through two weeks, while Jose Ortiz sits second with 14. Irad Ortiz will miss another day at Saratoga on Saturday to ride at Monmouth Park on the Haskell card.

Through two weeks, the Saratoga leaderboard shows Prat ahead with 15 wins, followed by Jose Ortiz at 14. Irad Ortiz’s return keeps him in the mix, though he trails his namesake in the standings. His Haskell card appearance on Saturday adds another high-profile stop to his summer schedule.

Ortiz will head to Monmouth Park on Saturday for the Haskell Invitational card. The move highlights his busy summer schedule across multiple tracks. His next Saratoga start remains TBD as he balances commitments at other venues.