Saratoga Jockey Preview

The 2016 Saratoga Meet starts this Friday, July 22. Although a Triple Crown winner won't run in the Travers Stakes this year, a three-year-old superstar will run at Saratoga. That superstar is West Coast filly Songbird who is scheduled to run in both the Coaching Club American Oaks and the Alabama Stakes. Songbird is likely to have regular rider Mike Smith in tow. That could be a problem for her connections since the 6 jockeys below owned the 2015 Saratoga Meet.

 

 

Irad Ortiz Jr. - It was only in June when Irad Ortiz Jr., making the perfect move aboard Creator, nipped Destin at the wire for his first Triple Crown win in the Belmont Stakes did the rest of the nation catch up to how great of a rider he is. Up until then, Irad was known to East Coast horseplayers.

Irad's mounts have clicked off $11,321,932 in earnings this year. In 2015, Irad finished in second place on the jockey's earnings list. He was sensational at Saratoga when winning 57 races from 284 mounts. Irad's winning percentage at the Spa in 2015 was 20%. His mounts finished in the Top 3 50% of the time. Irad Ortiz Jr. has just gotten better in 2016. Don't be surprised if he ends up winning another riding title at Saratoga.