what else is new?
 

Irad Ortiz just got days in Ascot for drifting over egregiously!

they don't waste any time there, he did it 3 races ago

Imo, it's been really interesting watching the evolution of riding styles among the NYRA jockey colony.

For the longest time Irad was the one doing 90% of the herding.

Imo, because the stewards allowed it to continue:

Many of the other riders (Many Franco and even Dylan Davis) are regularly doing it too.

Imo, refreshing to see a racing jurisdiction where the stewards won't put up with that nonsense (herding.)


-jp

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in the 7th race i just bet on #14 TALAABATT. coming out of pp 13 ain't going to help this filly.

Irad recently almost put Johnny V over the rail, but he was able to get out and still win the race. Haven't heard a peep from the stewards about it, the same stewards that handed him a 30 days suspension about 6 months ago.

Are they turning a blind eye now because handing out a short suspension would look weak?

What's new is a jurisdiction that comes down hard and swift on a guy like him. He only got 30 days back in December because his fouls were SO egregious.

If anyone else is curious too - found this replay on Youtube. Not a head-on view. You can see Ortiz's horse (yellow silks with maroon trim towards the outside) duck out a few times. I don't follow UK racing and have no idea how this compares to the "usual" for a straight-line turf sprint.

It's actually incredible. He likely comes down if that horse didn't beat his mount....and crickets.

If the Ascot Stewards were in NY, Irad wouldn't be allowed to ride here unless he had completely changed his ways.

On straight races in the UK there is a pole located some distance from the starting gate (not sure how far it is). You cannot shift lanes until you have passed that pole. He came over before the pole.
Probably another rule Irad wasn't aware of, along with the fact that they scratch unruly runners at the gate (which caught him off guard on Golden Pal yesterday).

It's not like he obeys the rules here either:-)

He's like the Honey Badger...he don't care :D

This is the stewards report for today's racing at Ascot. It reads like a game of Pinball in race 1

https://media.britishhorseracing.com...=425&year=2022

How about last Thursday's 1st race at Belmont? He likely comes down if he wins, but the "fouled" horse still wins. The race starts at the 8:20 mark of this video and we show the stretch head-on shortly thereafter....

So Ward bringing him over there was a big waste of time and money essentially. I’d bet my life he’s not riding for him next year at Ascot.

Incredibly frustrating for me. You give a guy 30 days, I would think it comes with a pretty strict probation going forward. Shortly after his return he was DQed a few times at Gulfstream and suspended again.

Then he does this to the most respected rider in the game, and probably most respected for as long as I've been following racing. I have no idea why he wouldn't get like 45 days this time, or at worse another 30. If there are no consequences for doing that to Johnny, no wonder he does whatever the hell he feels like doing.

Irad is obviously a great rider, but he is about the last guy I'd pick to ride 2yos sprinting on turf. Older Golden Pal I get because he's been riding him, but even there I think there are better guys for the job.