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After Friday’s Gate Incident, Irad Ortiz Takes Off Weekend Mounts At Gulfstream

Reigning champion jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will not ride at Gulfstream Park this weekend, taking time to recover from a sore knee caused by an incident in the starting gate prior to Friday's eighth race, the Daily Racing Form's Marty McGee posted on Twitter. The rider's agent, Steve Rushing, told McGee that Ortiz plans to return to the saddle next Wednesday, when he is named to ride in eight races on the card.

Ortiz was aboard Shea On A Mission for trainer Carlos David as the field loaded into the gate, when the 4-year-old daughter of Mission Impazible became unruly and reared. Ortiz managed to escape out the back, but he immediately appeared to be in pain. He was helped away from the gate by the assistant starters, and Shea On A Mission was scratched by the track veterinarian.

Thursday was the first day Ortiz had ridden since the Clasico del Caribe card at Camarero (Puerto Rico) on Dec. 5, 2021, owing to a 30-day suspension for his actions in a pair of races at Aqueduct.

Ortiz rode two winners from five mounts on Thursday, and two winners from seven mounts on Friday prior to his injury.

Ortiz has won the past three Eclipse Awards as North America's champion jockey. He led all riders with 336 wins in 2021 and ranked second with 1,443 starts and $29,274,435 in purse earnings. He also won a personal best 36 graded stakes, 10 of them Grade 1 races.

Following the Clasico del Caribe, Ortiz remained in Puerto Rico before returning to South Florida to work horses, primarily for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher at Palm Beach Downs. He was named in 10 of 11 races Saturday and another eight on Sunday.

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Sunday’s Insights: Pricey Quality Road Filly Among Interesting Group at GP

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

7th-GP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 3:37 p.m. ET

Glen Hill Farm's Customer Driven (Quality Road) is one of a number of well-related firsters signed on here. She is out of MGSW and GISP House Rules (Distorted Humor), who was second by a neck in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks here in 2014. House Rules was carrying Customer Driven when she brought $750,000 from WinStar Farm at the 2019 Keeneland January sale as part of the dispersal of JV Shields, Jr. Glen Hill subsequently picked up Customer Driven for $470,000 as a KEESEP yearling. House Rules is out of Argentinian MGSW/MG1SP GI Juddmonte Spinster S. third Teamgeist (Arg) (Mutakddim), who also produced MGISP Win the Space (Pulpit).

Brian Lynch will send out two in Jim and Susan Hill homebred Frozen Solid (Frosted) and William K. Werner's I Cross My Heart (Practical Joke). The former is out of Canadian champion grass mare Solid Appeal (Successful Appeal), who in turn is a half to GI Cotillion S. heroine It Tiz Well (Arch); while the latter was an $80,000 September yearling turned $200,000 OBS March juvenile off a :10 1/5 breeze.

St George Stables and trainer Fausto Gutierrez also have a pair of homebreds signed on. Oaxaca (Speightstown) was a $135,000 KEENOV in utero purchase out of a daughter of GSW/GISP Vision in Gold (Medaglia d'Oro). Omixochitl (More Than Ready)'s dam, who is a half to MGSW/GISP Tom's Ready (More Than Ready), cost $175,000 at the same auction.

Lay the Groundwork (Speightstown) will garner attention given she's conditioned by Chad Brown for top owner Klaravich Stables. The $125,000 KEESEP by is out of a stakes-placed mare from the family of GSWs High Velocity, Masseuse, Royal Artillery and Green Mask. Veterans Highway (Quality Road)'s dam is a stakes-placed full-sister to Japanese multiple Group 2 winner A Shin Top (Tale of the Cat) and half to MGISW General Quarters (Sky Mesa). TJCIS PPs

The post Sunday’s Insights: Pricey Quality Road Filly Among Interesting Group at GP appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Gulfstream Park Rainbow 6 Hit For $1.2 Million On Eve Of Mandatory Payout Day

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 was solved by one lucky bettor Friday at Gulfstream Park for a life-changing jackpot payout of $1,200,305.88.

Jockey Corey Lanerie guided Lauren Robson, Naser Buresli and Gary Potter's Canelo ($67.20) – a 4-year-old Gemologist gelding making just his second career start – to a front-running 32-1 upset of Friday's Race 10 finale to complete the winning 3-3-8-7-5-3 combination.

Other winners in the sequence were Souper Legacy ($4.60) in Race 5, American Starlet ($9.20) in Race 6, Bahamian Rhapsody ($25) in Race 7, Family Time ($30.80) in Race 8 and Collaborate ($7.60) in Race 9.

The Rainbow 6 had gone unsolved for 17 consecutive race days since last hit for a $407,067.66 payout Dec. 11. A total of $348,367 was put into the popular multi-race wager Friday, which had a guaranteed gross jackpot pool of $1.3 million.

Saturday's 11-race program will feature a mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6, which will have a guaranteed gross jackpot pool of $250,000.

The Rainbow 6 is paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

However, on mandatory payout days the entire pool is paid out to the bettor or bettors with the most winners in the six-race sequence.

Saturday's sequence – which starts at approximately 2:35 ET with the sixth race – features three turf races led by the $100,000 Tropical Turf (G3); a maiden special weight for 3-year-olds going one mile; two allowance optional claimers, and a maiden optional claimer.

Acacia Courtney and Brian Nadeau handicap Saturday's Rainbow 6

Video: Gulfstream Park: Rainbow 6 Jan 8 2022 – YouTube

Race 6 – $35,000 claimer for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles (turf)

The nine-horse field has a 5-2 favorite in Tackle, a second-place finisher in his last against similar at Aqueduct Dec. 5 for trainer Mike Maker. Both Holy Emperor (5-1) and Maker of an Empire (6-1) come out of the same race last time. Holy Emperor, fourth after going five wide, is ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., while Maker of an Empire, fractious in the gate last out, gets Luis Saez. Caribbean Gold goes first time out off the claim for Bobby Dibona, while Rally Squirrel goes first time off the claim for Mike Maker.

Race 7 – $60,000 maiden special weight for 3-year-olds at 1 mile

Calipari, a son of Curlin making his first start for trainer Todd Pletcher, is sure to attract attention. He's out of the graded stakes-placed mare Centrique and comes into the race with a 'bullet' work Jan. 2. Irad Ortiz Jr., is named to ride. Pletcher will also saddle Charge It, a son of Tapit making his debut for owner-breeder Whisper Hill Farm LLC. Saez will ride. Touch Code, second in his debut Dec. 11 going a mile at Gulfstream, goes out for trainer Bill Mott. Volcanic returns to the races for trainer Mark Casse off a four-month layoff after a seventh-place finish in the Hopeful (G1). Trainer Shug McGaughey sends out first-time starter Trending, a son of Uncle Mo out of Theyskens' Theory, a graded stakes-placed mare.

Race 8 – $100,000 Tropical Turf (G3) for 4-year-olds and up 1 mile (turf)

Largent, the 9-5 favorite, will use this race as a possible prep for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1). But some may believe the 6-year-old is vulnerable since he will be making his first start since finishing second a year ago in the Pegasus Turf to stablemate Colonel Liam. Chad Brown will saddle Value Proposition, who will seek his first graded stakes victory. The 6-year-old won the Red Bank and Oyster Bay in the fall and is graded stakes placed. Calumet Farm's Flying Scotsman makes his second start off a seven-month layoff. The son of English Channel finished fifth in his return in a race taken off the turf.

Race 9 – $54,000 allowance optional claimer for 4-year-olds and up state breds at 6 furlongs

There's a 9-5 morning-line favorite in Twice too Many, who was claimed for $35,000 by trainer Rohan Crichton, broke his maiden against special company, and finished second last out under similar conditions. Twice too Many has one victory and six seconds and has been a beaten favorite in five of his last 10 starts. Raise the Rent will go out first off the claim for Kelly Breen, who is 22-percent first time in the barn. Doo Wop Don was just claimed by Mary Eppler for $6,250 and an 8 ¾ length victory. Saez has the mount.

Race 10 – $61,000 allowance optional claimer for fillies and mares at 6 furlongs

Ten go to post in a wide-open event. We Miss Susie, trained by Jane Cibelli, is five for seven at the distance and has three wins at Gulfstream. Stakes placed Psychic Ability returns after a seven-month layoff for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. Sprout Wings has won of three of four starts for trainer Terri Pompay. Michael Stidham saddles Wild America, a $400,000 yearling purchase for Phoenix Ladies Syndicate.

Race 11 – $43,000 maiden optional claimer for 3-year-old state breds at 1 mile turf

The Rainbow 6 concludes with another wide-open event. Donegal Racing's Gooch Go Bragh gets Lasix and blinkers for trainer Todd Pletcher. He finished second and fourth in the With Anticipation in his starts on the turf in the summer. Arindel's Globes returns after a 2 ½ month layoff. The gelded son of Brethren was fourth in the Journeyman Stud Juvenile in October. Christophe Clement sends out Charming Charlie, who enters off a fifth-place finish against open company at Aqueduct Dec. 5. Fans of Van Morrison's will take a close look at Astral Weeks, a son of Mohaymen who makes his second start and first on the turf for Michael Stidham.

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‘It Was A Mistake’: Irad Ortiz Returns From 30-Day Suspension, Rides Two Winners At Gulfstream

Record-setting jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. got his 2021-2022 Championship Meet off to a strong start by riding a pair of winners on Thursday's 10-race program.

Ortiz, 29, was named in six races and finished off the board with his first mount, 2-1 favorite Macedonian, in Race 2. The Puerto Rico native registered back-to-back wins with Time to Two Step ($8) in Race 3 and 4-5 favorite Miss You Ella ($3.60) in Race 3.

“It feels great. It's been a long time,” Ortiz said. “Thank God we're back. I'm just happy to be back riding, honestly.”

Ortiz had not ridden since notching three victories on the Dec. 5 Clasic Internacional del Caribe program at Camarero Racetrack in his home country. He also finished second in the Copa Invitacional de Importados (G1) with Luna Fortis.

The Championship Meet's three-time defending champion had been serving a 30-day suspension handed down in New York for incidents of careless riding including Grand Casique Dec. 3 at Aqueduct.

“It was a mistake. I'm human. Everybody makes mistakes. Nobody's perfect,” Ortiz said. “I made a mistake and I did my suspension. The stewards did their job, they gave me my suspension and I paid for it, so that's it.”

Only Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who did it a record five times between 2011-2012 and 2015-2016, has won as many as four consecutive Championship Meet titles. Ortiz rode a record 140 winners at Gulfstream in 2020-2021, breaking Luis Saez's mark of 137 with his victory aboard Known Agenda in the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farm at Xalapa.

Following the Clasico del Caribe, Ortiz remained in Puerto Rico before returning to South Florida to work horses, primarily for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher at Palm Beach Downs. He is named in nine of 10 races Friday and 10 of 11 Saturday, including Value Proposition in the $100,000 Tropical Turf (G3).

“I spent time with my family and working,” Ortiz said. “I stayed one week in Puerto Rico and then I came back here and started working to get ready to come back.”

Saez leads the Championship Meet with 42 wins. Paco Lopez is second with 25 wins and Tyler Gaffalione third at 23.

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Friday's Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $1.3 Million

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $1.3 million for Friday's 10-race program at Gulfstream Park.

Multiple tickets with all six winners were sold Thursday, each worth $47,862.80. The popular multi-race wager was last solved for a $407,067.66 jackpot payout Dec. 11, a span of 17 racing days.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot is paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

Friday's Rainbow 6 sequence begins in Race 5, a second-level allowance for Florida-breds going one mile and 70 yards on the Tapeta surface. Birdman Richie, never worse than third in five career starts racing first time with Lasix for trainer Larry Rivelli, is the 3-1 program favorite.

A maiden special weight for 3-year-olds sprinting five furlongs on the grass is scheduled in Race 6. Michael Tabor's Comedic is an $800,000 daughter of Practical Joke that returns to the turf after finishing third in a six-furlong maiden event on the main track Dec. 11 at Los Alamitos. Trained by California-based Simon Callaghan, she is cross-entered in a similar spot for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Gulfstream.

Race 8 is an optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares 4 and up going one mile that drew a field of nine led by 9-5 program favorite Join the Dots, a 3 ½-length debut winner Oct. 29 at Belmont Park for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. The Medaglia d'Oro filly fetched $700,000 as a yearling in September 2019.

Friday's feature comes in Race 9, a stakes-quality optional claiming allowance for 4-year-olds and up sprinting 6 ½ furlongs on the main track that marks the return of Mutasaabeq, a Grade 2 winner on the turf in his first race since winning the one-mile Mucho Macho Man last January. Stakes-placed Collaborate, a 12 ½-length maiden winner last winter at Gulfstream who ran fifth in the Florida Derby (G1), also returns for the first time since finishing sixth in the Curlin July 30 at Saratoga.

Also coming off a layoff in Race 9 is speedy Bank On Shea, unraced since capturing the Affirmed Success against fellow New York-breds last April at Aqueduct. The multiple stakes winner will be making his first start since joining the barn of Gulfstream-based trainer Carlos David.

There will be a mandatory payout in the Rainbow 6, as well as the 50-cent Late Pick 5 and $1 Super Hi-5, on Saturday. The 11-race program is highlighted by the 44th running of the $100,000 Tropical Turf (G3).

Who's Hot: Championship Meet-leading rider Luis Saez visited the winner's circle twice Thursday aboard Exponential ($7.40) in Race 1 and Discreet Tune ($7.60) in Race 9. Emisael Jaramillo also doubled with Merzaz ($7.80) in Race 2 and Hot Peppers ($5) in Race 7.

Rainbow 6 Gross Jackpot Pool Guarantee: $1.3 million

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