Page 57 - 31 August 2012

Sam Thompson Memorial Jockey Award winner Gilbert Ortiz loves to work and lives to ride.
by Diane Rice
Gilbert Ortiz says
he’s been “really, really blessed with the good owners and trainers that supported me, and these other good riders, and all the racetrack people and my family. All of those good people have really taken care of me.”
People say you can’t be in two places at once. Yet twice, 49-year-old Gilbert Ortiz has come
close, running in the money at one track and then flying to another venue to end his day with multiple wins in multiple states.
That kind of dedication is just part of what influenced his fellow jockeys to vote him in as winner of the 2012 Sam Thompson Memorial Award. And their sentiments are shared by the trainers who keep Ortiz in the saddle.
“He’s a key rider in my operation,” said Vinton, Louisiana, trainer
Janet VanBebber. “His work ethic
is unparalleled. And he’s had some serious injuries in the last few years, yet he gets back to riding and working hard and doesn’t let it get him down.”
“He really goes above and beyond to get his job done,” echoed trainer Larry Kopycinski of Sunset, Louisiana. “All he does is work, whether it’s on the track or at home. He just wants to provide for his family.”
SPEEDHORSE, August 31, 2012 55
Courtesy Gilbert Ortiz