Churchill Downs Closing Day Update: Ortiz Clinches Spring Meet Title; 20-cent Derby City 6 Force-Out Will Be Multi-Millions

Jun 29, 2025

Jose Ortiz officially clinched the 2025 Spring Meet riding title at Churchill Downs as he entered closing day with 61 victories through 42 days of racing – well ahead of Luis Saez (45 wins) and Brian Hernandez Jr. (38).

This marks Ortiz’s second riding title beneath the Twin Spires after he tied Tyler Gaffalione with 45 wins apiece at the 2024 Spring Meet. Since moving his tack to Kentucky full-time last year, Ortiz has quickly established himself as a leading force in the local jockey colony.

Ortiz’s most notable victories at the Spring Meet include top 3-year-old filly Nitrogen in the $600,000 Edgewood presented by Accenture (GII), Durante in the $275,000 Aristides Stakes (GIII) and Shisospicy in the $225,000 Mamzelle Stakes (GIII).

Ortiz entered the final week of the meet with a three-win lead over Saez but sealed the title with an astounding 14 victories in his last 30 mounts.

The 31-year-old Ortiz is represented by agent Steve Rushing and is scheduled to ride at Saratoga this summer before returning to Churchill Downs for the September Meet, which begins Thursday, Sept. 11.

In the battle for fourth in the jockey standings, Luan Machado and Edgar Morales entered the final day tied with 21 wins each.

The race for leading trainer remained undecided heading into Sunday’s card. Joe Sharp, seeking his first Churchill Downs title, had a 20-17 win edge over eight-time local leader Brad Cox, with Sharp having four horses entered and Cox six.

Steve Asmussen, the track’s all-time win leader and a 29-time Churchill Downs training champion, sat third with 16 wins and remained in striking distance with nine runners entered in seven races.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Godolphin dominated the owner standings at the Spring Meet, tallying nine wins from 28 starters, including marquee victories by Sovereignty in Kentucky Derby 151 and Good Cheer in the Longines Kentucky Oaks 151. The powerhouse stable amassed more than $5.2 million in purses. This marks their fourth Churchill Downs title and second in a row after winning the 2024 Fall Meet crown.

Brad Kelley’s Calumet Farm was second with six wins from 54 starts, while David Jacobson and Richard Rigney’s Rigney Racing were tied for third with five wins each.

Thoroughbred racing in Kentucky shifts west to Ellis Park in Henderson for the 25-day summer season that begins Thursday. Racing at Churchill Downs will resume Sept. 11 for the 14-day September Meet.

DERBY CITY 6 FORCE-OUT WILL BE MULTI-MILLIONS – Bettors have a massive $1,413,928 carryover in the Derby City 6 to chase Sunday at Churchill Downs for the 11-race closing day program.

There is a mandatory payout in Sunday’s 20-cent Derby City 6, which covers Races 6-11 starting at approximately 3:18 p.m. (all times Eastern) because it’s closing day of the 43-day Spring Meet. Churchill Downs’ gates will open at 11:30 a.m. The first of 11 races is 12:45 p.m. and the finale is scheduled for 5:58 p.m.

The jackpot carryover was $1,413,928 at the conclusion of Saturday’s action.

All monies on Sunday will be distributed to ticket holders with the most winners in the six-race series.

Last year, there was a $357,208 jackpot carryover on closing day and $2,057,512 in new money was wagered – more than five times the carryover. The winning sequence that day paid $131,622.

The Churchill Downs record carryover is $1,694,336 on Nov. 18, 2005. The following day $4,004,157 of new money was bet into the pool. The $2 Pick 6 that day paid $32,865.

Takeout on the Derby City 6 is just 15% – one of the lowest multi-race wager takeout rates in American racing – and only costs 20 cents per combination.

Sunday’s closing day sequence features 58 entered horses for an average of 9.7 entries per race:

Race 6 (3:18 p.m.): $225,000 Bashford Manor (Listed), 2yo, 6 F (seven entries)
Race 7 (3:51 p.m.): $225,000 Debutante (Listed), 2yo f, 6 F (nine entries)
Race 8 (4:23 p.m.): $300,000 Hanshin (Listed), 4&up, 1 M (eight entries)
Race 9 (4:55 p.m.): $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes, f&m, 1 1/8 M (T) (nine entries)
Race 10 (5:27 p.m.): $175,000 Maxfield (Listed), 3yo, 7 F (13 entries)
Race 11 (5:58 p.m.): Mdn 120k, f&m, 1 1/8 M (T) (15 entries, 12 can run)
Past performances are available at www.Brisnet.com. Fans can wager on the Derby City 6 on track at Churchill Downs; www.TwinSpires.com, the track’s official online wagering platform; other online wagering outlets; and select satellite betting centers throughout North America.

DOWN THE STRETCH – Thank you to everyone for your coverage of the Spring Meet at Churchill Downs. If you’d like more information or would like to be added to the distribution list for Ellis Park, please contact Kevin Kerstein at kevin.kerstein@kyderby.com. Cheers to a successful summer.