Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr Wife: Is He Married? This has recently become a topic of controversy. People are curious to know if he is married or not.
Irad Ortiz Jr., from Puerto Rico, has been a top rider in the New York Thoroughbred horse racing scene since 2012.
He won his first Breeders’ Cup in 2014 with Lady Eli and claimed his first American Classic title in the 2016 Belmont Stakes aboard Creator.
Recently, in 2022, he won the Belmont Stakes again, riding Mo Donegal to victory.
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Irad Ortiz Jr Wife: Is He Married?
Irad Ortiz Jr. doesn’t have a wife, as he is yet to be married. Instead he is in a romantic relationship with his girlfriend of many years, Meliza Betancourt.
The exciting thing about their starting relationship is she doesn’t even know about him before she went to see horse riding with her uncle.
Irad Ortiz jr falls in love with Meliza Betancourt on their first meet, and they decide to continue this relationship forever.
However, it has been stated that they have not yet tied the knot and are not currently married.
It has been reported that Irad Ortiz Jr. has three children.
His first daughter, Sarai, was born in 2015. In November, he welcomed another baby girl named Saeli Ortiz.
However, information regarding his third child is not yet known or available.
Irad Ortiz Jr Net Worth
The estimated net worth of Irad Ortiz Jr. is around $5 Million.
Irad Ortiz Jr. was honoured with the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 2018 for his exceptional performance, leading in wins and earnings.
He also achieved four wins at the 2019 Breeders’ Cup, including victories in the $4 million Turf and the $6 million Classic races.
In 2019, he repeated his success by leading in wins and second places while setting a new record for North American horse racing with earnings of $34,109,019 for a single year.
He went on to win his third consecutive Eclipse Award in 2020, believed to be his continued dominance in both earnings and wins.
He is in the top ranking for Jockey based on earnings and wins.
Irad Ortiz Jr Personal Life and Career
Irad Ortiz Jr.’s younger brother, José Ortiz, is also a prominent jockey in New York.
Despite their close relationship, José stated that they both compete as jockeys when they are out there on the track, even though they support and encourage each other off the field.
Irad Ortiz Jr. began his career in Puerto Rico and then transitioned to racing in New York in 2011.
He achieved his first victory in the US in June of that year, and his success continued.
In 2012, he rode Questing to win his first Grade 1 race, and the Alabama Stakes and Questing were recognized as the champion 3-year-old filly.
By the end of the year, Ortiz ranked #17 in earnings and was a finalist for the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey, despite not being an apprentice for most of the year.
During 2013, Irad Ortiz Jr. had a highly successful year, winning 224 races and ranking fifth in North America based on his earnings.
He achieved notable victories in the King’s Bishop Stakes, Champagne Stakes, and Carter Handicap.
Furthermore, he obtained his first riding title at Aqueduct during the 2012-2013 inner track meet.
Irad Ortiz Jr. had a highly successful 2018 season, during which he received the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey and achieved his 2,000th career win.
He also emerged victorious in the Belmont spring/summer, and Saratoga meets, in addition to being awarded the Shoemaker Award at the Breeders’ Cup for his exceptional performance as a jockey.
Jockey Ortiz achieved his third consecutive Eclipse Award and emerged victorious in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint with Whitmore in 2020.
However, in June 2021, he had to be hospitalized after being thrown from his horse during a race at Belmont Park.
Fortunately, CT scans and X-rays revealed that he had no significant injuries.
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