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Irad Ortiz Jr.
Jockeys Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Joel Rosario have each been handed a three-day suspension for careless riding at Saratoga, reports bloodhorse.com. Both waived their right to appeal.
Rosario’s penalty deals with the third race on Aug. 18, in which he piloted Sassy Melissa to a third-place finish but was disqualified to fourth. According to the Equibase chart, Sassy Melissa came out at the sixteenth pole and bumped FontannaFredda “soundly.” Rosario’s suspension is scheduled from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1.
Rosario sat third in the Saratoga standings at the start of Wednesday’s card with 29 winners.
Ortiz was penalized for his ride in the eighth race on Aug. 18, in which his mount Nabokov was disqualified from fifth and placed sixth. The Equibase chart notes state that Nabokov “tired through to the finish bumping Winit just inside the eighth pole before coming over again and getting a solid bump on that eased up rival a sixteenth out and headed him at the finish.” Ortiz’s suspension is scheduled from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2.
Ortiz led the Saratoga standings with 42 winners at the start of Wednesday’s card.
Read more at bloodhorse.com.
