Irad Ortiz, jr. ((Photo thanks to Coglianese photos / Walter Wlodarczyk)
“… a great honor and very humiliating.”
Mike Venezia Memorial Award
NYRA press office
Saratoga Springs, NY – The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today has Irad Ortiz, Jr. announced as the recipient of the Mike Venezia Memorial Award from 2025.
Ortiz, Jr., located in this summer on the Saratoga Race Course and a five-time winner of the Eclipse Award as the excellent Jockey of the country, was chosen by a committee consisting of members of the Venezia family, representatives of the Jockeys’ Guild and retired Eclipse Award-Winning.
“Participating in the list of winners of the Venezia Memorial Award is a great honor and very humiliating,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I look forward to thank the Venezia family here at Saratoga and to share this with my family.”
The Mike Venezia Memorial Award is presented annually to a jockey who shows the exemplary sportiness and citizenship that Venezia personified, who died as a result of injuries in a leak in 1988. Venezia, a resident of Brooklyn, NY, won more than 2,300 races during his 25-year-old Carrière.
Ortiz, Jr. Will get the Venezia Award on Friday, August 22 during a ceremony on Saratoga Race Course.
“Irad Ortiz, Jr. is one of the most accomplished jockeys of his generation and a future Hall of Famer,” said Terry Meyocks, president and chief executive officer of the Jockeys’ Guild. “We are proud to congratulate Irad on this achievement and thank the Venezia and NYRA family for continuing this tradition”
A resident of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, the 33-year-old Ortiz, Jr. grew up in a racing family. His grandfather, also called Irad Ortiz, and Uncle, Ivan Ortiz, were Jockeys; And his younger brother, Jose Ortiz, is one of the leading riders of the nation. Ortiz, Jr. Puerto Rico’s Escuela Vocacional Hípica attended, a school for potential Jockeys, and started his professional driving career at Hipódromo Camarero in Puerto Rico on New Year’s Day, 2011. Later that year he moved to New York and quickly established himself in Northern.
Riding maker for owners’ Winstar Farm and Bobby Flay and Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Ortiz, Jr. Won his first Belmont Stakes in 2016. His second victory in Belmont Stakes was on board Mo Donegal for Donegal Racing and Repole Stabil and Hall of Fame Trainer Todd Pleter in 2022. Under Ortiz are the performance of Jr. 20 victories in Breeders ‘Cup races, including victories in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2019 on Vino Rosso and 2023 on White Abarrio.
Ortiz, Jr., earned the Eclipse Award as an outstanding jockey in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. The only other riders who are honored who are often as excellent Jockey Hall of Famers Laffit Pincay, Jr., also with five Awards; And Jerry Bailey, with seven. From August 14, Ortiz, Jr. 4,274 victories and more than $ 358 million in income.
The Venezia Memorial Award is a 13-inch bronze sculpture with a title with the text ‘The Jockey, A Champion’. Ortiz, Jr. Join a group of riders who have previously won the prize, led by Venezia, who posthumously earned the inaugural prize in 1989.
Fits winners include Bill Shoemaker, Chris McCarron, Angel Cordero, Jr., Jerry Bailey, Mike Smith, Pat Day, Laffit Pincay, Jr., Robbie Davis, Eddie Maphle, Gary Stevens, Jorge Migli, Mike Luzzi, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Putz, Dean, Putz, Dean, Putz, Dean, Putz, Dean, Putz, Dean, Putz, Dean, Putzi, Dean, Putzi, Dean, Putzi, Putzi, Putzi, Putzi, Putzi Prado, Ramon Dominguez, John Velazquez, Jon Court, Mario Pino, Kendrick Carmouche, Joe Bravo, Javier Castellano, Deshawn Parker, Julien Lparoux, Junior Alvarado and 2024 winner, Brian Hernandez, Jr.
The summer meeting of 2025 on the historic Saratoga Race course will take place until Monday 1 September. For more information, go to Nyra.com.
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