Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. appeared to avoid serious injury after he was unseated from his mount, 9-5 second choice Mindframe, soon after the start in Saratoga’s $1-million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), which won by his Todd Pletcher-trained stablemate Antiquarian on Sunday.
Ortiz, the meet’s leading rider, fell to the ground after 16-1 shot Phileas Fogg, ridden by Kendrick Carmouche, came over from post 7 in the eight-horse field, triggering bumping that led to the incident. Ortiz then appeared to be stepped on by Mindframe as well as favorite Sierra Leone. He was immediately tended to by the New York Racing Association medical team and assessed for any head or neck injuries. He was reportedly alert and was carried off the track and later complained of rib pain and pain in his left hand. He was to be taken to Albany Medical Center for evaluation of his injuries.
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Centennial Farms’ Antiquarian, under John Velazquez, defeated Sierra Leone by 1 1/2 lengths and finished the 1¼-mile Gold Cup in 2:02.16. Phileas Fogg finished third but was disqualified and declared officially unplaced after an inquiry and 2024 Gold Cup winner Highland Falls was elevated from fourth to third place.
White Abbario, Disarm, and Contrary Thinking completed the order of finish. Mindframe, owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables, was caught by an outrider and walked off the track.
Pletcher provided an initial update on two-time Grade 1 winner Mindframe.
“It appears as though he pulled up fine. He kind of slowed down and the outriders looked like they caught him safely. Our initial inspections back here are fine,” Pletcher said. “We’ll obviously go over him very closely at the barn like we always do. Luckily, I think he’s OK.”
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Antiquarian, a son of the Centennial Farms-campaigned Preservationist, entered from a head second to reopposing Phileas Fogg in the Grade 2 Suburban on July 4 over course and distance. On Sunday, Antiquarian exited the outermost post 8 alertly as Phileas Fogg left post 7 and soon veered in sharply under Kendrick Carmouche, causing Contrary Thinking to shy into the Edgard Zayas-piloted White Abarrio, who in turn bumped Mindframe, unseating Ortiz.
Sierra Leone altered course as his jockey Flavien Prat attempted to avoid Ortiz down on the track as the field headed toward the first turn. Contrary Thinking recovered to set an opening quarter-mile in 23 seconds flat on the fast main track, with several lengths back to Phileas Fogg, White Abarrio and Antiquarian in fourth position ahead of the riderless Mindframe.
“I didn’t know what happened,” Velazquez said. “I saw Edgard try to put his feet back in the irons. I had my mind made up that I wanted to take my horse back and tried to give him a break the first part of the race. That’s the way it worked out.”
Contrary Thinking extended his margin down the backside as the complexion remained the same up front and Antiquarian maintained his fourth position through the half-mile in 46.96 and Sierra Leone trailed behind Disarm and Highland Falls.
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After three-quarters in 1:11.92, Contrary Thinking came back to the field and Phileas Fogg took command as Antiquarian improved to the inside of a backpedaling White Abarrio with Highland Falls launching a wide bid.
Phileas Fogg responded at the top of the lane through one-mile in 1:36.83 and held a two-length advantage at the stretch call, but Antiquarian got rolling to his outside and narrowed the gap within the eighth pole while the last-out Grade 1 Whitney winner Sierra Leone closed rapidly down the center of the course.
“Kendrick was kind of nudging his horse and I was like, ‘I better get a little closer to him before he gets away from me,’ ” Velazquez said. “I got close to him, and he responded really well.”
Antiquarian flew by Phileas Fogg inside the final sixteenth with the jump on Sierra Leone to get the win.
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On Phileas Fogg angling in at the start, Carmouche said: ““I thought I was clear. I came over a little, but then Dylan [Davis, aboard No. 6, Contrary Thinking] went more. I don’t think I had anything to do with it.”
Antiquarian, produced by the Istan mare Lifetime Memory, returned $28 for the win and earned a free berth into the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge ‘Win & You’re In’ series. He was bred in Kentucky by late Airdrie Stud owner and former Kentucky Governor Brereton C. Jones.
This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.