Preakness Stakes News | Reid, Ortiz Have Long Relationship

For his first try in the Preakness Stakes (G1), trainer Butch Reid Jr. was able to hire five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. to ride Uncle Heavy.

Reid and Ortiz have a long relationship that goes back to the summer of 2012, about 12 months after the native of Puerto Rico began riding in New York.

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“One of his first Grade 1 wins was on a horse of mine, Poseidon’s Warrior in the Vanderbilt up in New York,” said Reid, who is based at Parx in suburban Philadelphia. “I think it was two years ago when he broke the stakes record. He equaled that at Mahoning Valley, believe it or not, and then he broke the record back on one of my horses back in New York. I don’t know what our win percentage is, but I think it’s pretty good.”

It is. Entering this weekend at Pimlico Race Course, Ortiz, 31, has won six times on 29 mounts for Reid, 20.7 percent. He has a 6-7-4 record riding for the Parx Hall of Famer, an in-the-money rate of 58 percent. Ortiz’ win on Poseidon’s Warrior in the A.G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga was his second career Grade 1. It came a couple of weeks after he secured the first on Questing in the Coaching Club American Oaks. The winner that gave Ortiz the record for most stakes victories in a year was Reid’s Dr B in the Go for Wand (G3) in December 2022.

Ortiz will replace Mychel Sanchez, a top rider at Parx who was up on the colt in his first five races, including winning the Withers Stakes (G3).

“Mikey Sanchez is a fine rider, and he and I are certainly going to keep doing business,” Reid said, “but Irad is Irad and he’s got the experience in these big situations. I think that was really the difference in making the call.”

Uncle Heavy will be the fourth Pennsylvania-bred to run in the Preakness since Smarty Jones prevailed in 2004 – Hard Spun, third in 2007; Norman Asbjornson, 11^th in 2011; and Chase the Chaos, fifth last year.

Ortiz is still seeking his first Preakness victory. He is 0-2-0 from five starts in the 1 3/16-mile Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

Reid said that Uncle Heavy went out to the track for routine morning exercise Friday.

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Horsemen will be offered $7.5 million in bonus opportunities as well as two qualifiers for races at Newmarket and Deauville come Preakness Day May 18 at legendary Pimlico Race Course.

In addition to their respective purses, a $5 million bonus awaits the owner or owners of the horse who wins the $2 million Preakness (G1), the $1 million California Crown (G1) Sept. 28 at Santa Anita, and the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park in 2025.

Meanwhile, a $2.5 million bonus awaits the owner or owners of the horse who wins Pimlico’s $500,000 Dinner Party (G3), the $750,000 California Crown John Henry Turf (G2), and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).

In addition, the winner of the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint will receive an automatic entry and travel incentive to run in the July Cup Stakes (G1) at Newmarket on July 13, while the winner of the Gallorette Stakes (G3) for fillies and mares on the turf will receive an automatic entry and travel incentive to run in the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet (G1) at Deauville Aug. 18.

The Maryland Jockey Club will also offer bonus money totaling $100,000 bonus to trainers who run a minimum of five horses in the stakes races during Preakness weekend, and another $50,000 bonus for trainers with the most points in non-stakes during the weekend.