Churchill Downs Update: 17-Year-Old Apprentice Yomar Ortiz Jr. Scores Wednesday Double

Nov 05, 2026

Apprentice jockey Yomar Ortiz Jr. scored his first career riding double Wednesday at Churchill Downs, less than a month after making his professional debut at Keeneland.

Ortiz, 17, skimmed the rail aboard Tiffany Twist for trainer Joe Sharp to win Race 2, a 1 1/16-mile claiming race over a sloppy main track. He completed the double in Race 5 aboard Jackie’s Player for trainer Brad Cox in a six-furlong maiden claiming race.

“It was a great day,” Ortiz said Thursday morning. “Winning two at Churchill Downs was really special. Hopefully there are a lot more days like that.”

Three of Ortiz’s four career wins have come for Sharp, whose barn he began working for earlier this year. Ortiz rallied from last to finish second aboard Eli’s Promise in his Oct. 14 debut at Keeneland and won his first race there 10 days later Hard Champ. His first Churchill Downs win came Oct. 29 aboard Texas Dandelion.

Ortiz was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in Maryland, where he started pony racing and was named the Maryland Steeplechase Association’s leading junior rider in 2024. He attended the same jockey school in Puerto Rico as his father, Yomar Orlando Ortiz, who has ridden primarily in the Mid-Atlantic.

Ortiz galloped horses in Maryland before going to New York in 2025 to work for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. He spent last winter with McGaughey at Payson Park in South Florida, where he also breezed a few horses for Cox.

Ortiz’s 10-pound apprentice allowance will drop to seven pounds after his next win. He is represented by agent Steve Rushing and plans to ride this winter at Turfway Park.

LAMBETH, OBLITERATION FAVORED IN SATURDAY’S STAKES DOUBLEHEADER – Carl R. Moore Management’s Lambeth was tabbed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite for the $300,000 River City (Grade III), while Leland Ackerley Racing, James Sherwood, Jode Shupe and John Cilia’s Obliteration was made the lukewarm 7-2 choice for the $300,000 Bet On Sunshine, part of a stakes doubleheader on Saturday’s 11-race card at Churchill Downs.

Lambeth will cut back in distance after finishing second to Tawny Port in the 2 1/16-mile Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational at Kentucky Downs. The 5-year-old son of Arrogate has won six of 21 starts and earned $906,377. Jose Ortiz has the mount from post No. 4.

In the Bet On Sunshine, Obliteration is a three-time stakes winner with victories in the Sanford (GIII), Renaissance and Chick Lang. The Steve Asmussen trainee finished third in last month’s Perryville (GIII) at Keeneland. He’ll break from post 7 with Luis Saez aboard.

The River City field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds), which goes as Race 8 at 4:25 p.m.:

Carcano (Jaime Torres, Vicki Oliver, 20-1)
Mercante (Walter Rodriguez, Brian Knippenberg, 8-1)
Vote No (Umberto Rispoli, Kelsey Danner, 8-1)
Lambeth (Ortiz, Sharp, 9-5)
Kupuna (Francisco Arrieta, Norm Casse, 9-2)
Teao (CHI) (Luis Saez, John Sadler, 6-1)
Plensa (Axel Concepcion, Rusty Arnold II, 15-1)
Ole Crazy Bone (Tyler Gaffalione, Mike Maker, 3-1)
Southern California-based Teao (CHI) has not shipped to Churchill Downs and is expected to scratch from the River City, according to trainer John Sadler.

The field for the Bet On Sunshine from the rail out, which goes as Race 10 at 5:25 p.m.:

Golden Afternoon (Umberto Rispoli, Nic Vaccarezza, 15-1)
Tejano Twist (Francisco Arrieta, Chris Hartman, 20-1)
Viking (Tyler Gaffalione, David Fawkes, 6-1)
C K Wonder (Martin, Dale Romans, 10-1)
Lips Say Bliss (Cristian Torres, Robbie Medina, 20-1)
Echo Again (Jaime Torres, Jordan Blair, 6-1)
Obliteration (Saez, Asmussen, 7-2)
Greenwich Village (Jose Ortiz, Bob Baffert, 9-2)
Dreaminblue (Rafael Bejarano, Randy Morse, 8-1)
Jimmy Rules (Walter Rodriguez, Susan Anderson, 30-1)
Tap Me a Song (Manny Esquivel, Carlos Santamaria, 20-1)
Yo Banana Boy (Gerardo Corrales, Mike Maker, 10-1)
Jack’s Promise (Brian Hernandez Jr., Dale Romans, 20-1)
DOWN THE STRETCH – Live racing resumed Thursday at Churchill Downs with a 10-race card. There was a $61,837 carryover in the 20-cent Derby City Jackpot, a $8,591 carryover in the Super Hi-5 and a $422,155 carryover in the Jackpot 8. First post was 1 p.m. … Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. took off his Thursday riding assignments after he was dismounted prior to Race 6 on Wednesday. Hernandez walked back to the jock’s room after the incident. … Churchill Downs will honor veterans and active-duty military personnel during Sunday’s Military Appreciation Day presented by Coca-Cola. Gates open at noon, and veterans and active-duty military personnel receive complimentary general admission with a valid military ID. The day includes veteran tributes on the Big Board and recognition of the Woody Williams Foundation. Discounted lunch is available for veterans and active-duty military on Millionaires’ Row for $45 and can be reserved by calling (502) 636-4450 or through GOVX. … “Inside Churchill Downs” returns Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN Louisville. Those outside the listening area can listen live on www.espnlouisville.com or the “Inside the Kentucky Derby” podcast, available on all major streaming platforms. … For the latest information about the Churchill Downs Fall Meet, visit www.churchilldowns.com.