THIS is the jaw-dropping moment a jockey cheated death after a ‘braindead’ rival caused disaster.
Irad Ortiz’s quick thinking meant he left the saddle of one horse for another – before crashing to the ground in a horrific start to the $1million Jockey Club Gold Cup in New York on Sunday.
Two jockeys are seen on the same horse after a disastrous start to the big race in Saratoga
Irad Ortiz fell off then miraculously avoided being trampled
Ortiz was rushed to hospital soon after but miraculously escaped serious injury.
The calamitous scenes were sparked by Kendrick Carmouche veering left sharply out of the gates on Phileas Fogg.
That set off a chain reaction that saw several horses bash into each other.
The contact was such that Ortiz was knocked off his mount Mindframe and onto White Abarrio.
In scarcely believable footage, top US rider Ortiz is shown sitting behind White Abarrio’s actual jockey Edgard Zayas as they thunder down the track.
But the balancing act proved too much and Ortiz, who was shown clinging on for dear life between two horses, eventually smashed into the ground.
Amazingly it could have got even worse had Sierra Leone, who was ridden by Flavien Prat, literally jumped over Ortiz as he lay helpless on the dirt.
The £440,000 first-place prize at Saratoga was won by 13-1 Antiquarian, while 23-20 fav Sierra Leone came second.
Carmouche actually finished third on Phileas Fogg but stewards disqualified him from the race.
Viewers were initially left fearing the worst for Ortiz – with one riding Carmouche’s riding ‘braindead’.
But Ortiz wrote on X on Monday: “I want to thank everyone for all the calls and texts and well wishes.
“I plan on taking a few days off and return to riding on Thursday at Kentucky Downs.”
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