Francesca Le Donne Photo

Irad Ortiz, Jr., Brown, Klaravich Stables win Belmont fall meet titles

by NYRA Press Office

Trainer Chad Brown notched his sixth consecutive fall meet training title, jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. locked up the riding crown and Klaravich Stables, led by Seth Klarman, outpaced all owners in victories as the Belmont Park Fall Championship Meet concluded with inclement weather canceling Sunday's card.

Brown saddled 41 winners, more than doubling the number of victories from the next closest competitor (Todd Pletcher's 19 wins). The 39-year-old continued his dominant run at Belmont, where he has recorded two straight spring/summer meet titles in addition to winning every fall meet since 2012, including 2016 when he tied with Rudy Rodriguez.

Brown, who won the 2016 Eclipse Award as outstanding trainer, trained Separationofpowers to a win in the Grade 1 Frizette on October 8 and Beach Patrol to a victory in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on September 30. The Mechanicville, New York native was the New York Racing Association's leading trainer in 2015 and 2016.  

Ortiz, 25, won his first riding title since the Aqueduct Racetrack spring meet concluded in April. He finished in the money in more than 50 percent of his mounts, amassing more than $4 million in purses. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano's 39 wins was second.

Ortiz, who also won Aqueduct's inner-track title earlier in the year, concluded an impressive meet in which he piloted Diversify to victory in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup and Firenze Fire to a win in the Grade 1 Champagne on the same day, October 7. In all, Ortiz has amassed six Grade 1 wins in the current campaign. The native of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico also had a five-win day on October 19.

Klaravich Stables had 14 wins to register its first Belmont fall meet title. Klaravich owns Separationofpowers, who won the Frizette by 3 ½ lengths and is on target for the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup 14 Hands Winery Juvenile Fillies on Saturday at Del Mar.

Thoroughbred action moves to Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park. Opening Day for the fall meet is scheduled for Friday with a 10-race card highlighted by the Grade 3, $150,000 Tempted Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. First post is at 12:20 p.m.