He calls it вЂњthe toughest loss of my life. Repole's closest near-miss was Stay Thirsty finishing second in 2011. And now, 15 years later, IвЂ™m still looking.' The three-time reigning Eclipse Award-winning jockey is scheduled to ride three races at Gulfstream Park, including the 75,000 Sunshine Turf aboard Max. вЂњIвЂ™ve probably said it 15 years ago when I had just entered the game and was winning claiming races that IвЂ™d rather win the Belmont than the Kentucky Derby. Photo: Bob Mayberger/Eclipse Sportswire Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who suffered a knee injury during a starting gate mishap earlier this month, is set to return to the irons on Saturday. вЂњThereвЂ™s a hole in my resume, and itвЂ™s the Belmont Stakes,вЂќ Repole said. He and partners bought Overtook for $1 million in 2019 and hope he pulls off the upset. Mike Repole is worth a billion dollars and has won two Breeders' Cup races, but the New York native has never won his hometown Belmont Stakes. Any time you can get the respect of your peers on a day like that, itвЂ™s fantastic.вЂќД®ager to celebrate with someone Pletcher joked with reporters, вЂњIt wouldвЂ™ve been nice for you guys to bring some beers back there or something like that.вЂќ вЂњI didnвЂ™t have any family there, so that was the closest thing to family. McCarthy got a big embrace from Pletcher after the Preakness, a race his former boss has yet to win. вЂњYouвЂ™re always looking for someone to celebrate with and share the emotions and share the experience with, so when youвЂ™re there by yourself, itвЂ™s just one of those things,вЂќ McCarthy said this week. McCarthy FaceTimed with his wife and daughter but is relieved they're with him in New York for the Belmont. Trainer Michael McCarthy got emotional after winning the Preakness with Rombauer in his first try in a Triple Crown race because his family wasn't in Baltimore with him to enjoy the moment. Jose Ortiz, Mike Smith and Javier Castellano are among the possibilities.ДЄsked if he'd like to replace his brother in the Belmont, Jose Ortiz said, вЂњYeah, of course.вЂќ Pletcher said a decision on a replacement wonвЂ™t be made until Saturday. Irad Ortiz was scheduled to ride trainer Todd Pletcher's Known Agenda in the Belmont, looking for his second victory in the Triple Crown race. 'As long as he was talking and was conscious and could feel his legs and arms, I was relieved.вЂќ вЂњRelieved as soon as I would run down there and he said he was fine,вЂќ Jose Ortiz said. He was moving his extremities and talking to medical personnel and others on the track moments after the fall. After scuffling Friday at Gulfstream Park with Irad Ortiz, Jr., which caused him to be put on probation for the remainder of the meet, Paco Lopez told the TDN Monday he is ready to. Irad Ortiz underwent a CT scan, though it was not immediately clear if he suffered a head injury beyond the cut that required stitches. was unhappy with fellow rider Paco Lopez after the fourth race at Gulfstream Park on Feb.

Jose on Thursday night tweeted a photo of his older brother with a bandage around his left wrist and a message indicating Irad's X-rays were negative and that he would be back in a couple of weeks. Three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

Irad ortiz injury