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Thumb_privman Jay Privman , Churchill Downs , 04/15/2019 - DRF Live Posted : Apr 15, 2019, 3:01 PM

Irad Ortiz Jr. to ride Improbable in Kentucky Derby, per WinStar's Walden

Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Improbable in the Kentucky Derby, according to Elliott Walden, the chief executive of co-owner WinStar Farm.

Jose Ortiz, Irad's brother, rode Improbable to a second-place finish in the Arkansas Derby on Saturday. Jose Ortiz has chosen to ride Tacitus, the Wood Memorial winner, in the Kentucky Derby.

Walden said Irad Ortiz was chosen because "he's a top rider, and we won a Belmont Stakes with him with Creator."

"It made sense," Walden said Monday. "He's an Eclipse Award-winning rider."

Irad Ortiz rode Win Win Win to a second-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes eight days ago. Julien Pimentel will replace him on Win Win Win.

Other riding assignments, most notably the choice of Mike Smith between Omaha Beach and Roadster, are expected in the next day or so, and will unleash a domino effect of Derby mounts.

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