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Edwin Gonzalez Back At Full Strength At Gulfstream Park

Jockey Edwin Gonzalez made it clear that he has made it all the way back from a midsummer injury Thursday at Gulfstream Park, riding the winners of four races, including impressive maiden winner Palmach, on an eight-race card.

The 29-year-old journeyman, who had become an immediate success while riding at Gulfstream Park full time during the Spring/Summer Meet for the first time, was sidelined for seven weeks with a hairline fracture in his right leg that was sustained in a racing mishap July 3. He won three races on his first day back in action Aug. 21, but Gonzalez didn't continue to quite maintain the strike rate that he had enjoyed prior to his injury.

“I'm feeling great. I had 50 days out – that's a long time for me,” said Gonzalez, who won with his last mount Sunday and his first three mounts Thursday. “I'm feeling strong. I kept saying, 'Keep working hard, and everyone will be happy and I'll keep winning races.'”

D J Stable's Palmach bucked the trend on Gulfstream's Tapeta track while capturing the featured $60,000 maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies in Race 4. The Mark Casse-trained daughter of Violence broke alertly to assume an early lead that she would never relinquish on her way to a four-length victory, becoming only the second horse to win from gate to wire in the first 20 races on the newly installed all-weather surface.

“She likes the Tapeta. The first time she was a little green and the turf was a little soft because it was raining that day,” said Gonzalez, who finished fifth aboard Palmach in her Sept. 10 debut over a good turf course. “Today, she loved the Tapeta.”

Although she was the first front-running winner since Wow Tapit wired the field in only the second race run on Tapeta, Palmach did follow an early trend on the all-weather surface, becoming the 12th favorite to come through for their backers. Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Beachnut Trophy, Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred daughter of Real Solution, closed from far back to finish second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Todd Pletcher-trained Five Prizes, a daughter of Bernardini who

Palmach, the 9-5 favorite, gave Gonzalez his second of four victories Thursday, when he connected aboard World Gone Wild ($5) in Race 2, Bramble Berry ($8) in Race 5 and Souper All Star ($14.80) through a disqualification in Race 8. Souper All Star was Gonzalez's seventh win from his last 12 mounts.

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NBC Sports Plans Three Live Telecasts Of Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Races

The “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” comes to Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky for a blockbuster weekend of top Thoroughbreds competing for final automatic berths in the Breeders' Cup World Championships with three live telecasts on NBCSN. The action begins on Friday, Oct. 8 (5-6 p.m. ET) featuring the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1) and continues, on Saturday, Oct. 9 (5-6 p.m. ET) with the $750,000 Keeneland Turf Mile (G1) headlined by Order of Australia (IRE), winner of last year's FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1). Saturday's program will also include the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1). The weekend concludes on Sunday, Oct. 10 (4:30-6 p.m. ET) with the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1), led by the nation's top older female Letruska.

The three programs mark the 10th, 11th, and 12th telecasts this year in the “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” on NBC and NBCSN from some of North America's most iconic racetracks. The television series, which concludes on Wednesday, Oct. 13 at Keeneland with the JPMorgan Jessamine Stakes (G2) (NBCSN 4-5 p.m. ET), leads to the 38th Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6, which will be shown live on NBC and NBCSN. The complete series TV schedule can be accessed here.

NBC Sports' coverage for all three telecasts feature commentary and discussion from its International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., led by host Ahmed Fareed, analyst Randy Moss, and handicapper Matt Bernier. Reporters Britney Eurton and Nick Luck will be on-site at Keeneland.

A field of 12 has been entered for Friday's 1 1/16-mile Darley Alcibiades, for 2-year-old fillies, with the winner receiving an automatic berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). The Albaugh Family Stables' Juju's Map is the 5-2 morning line favorite off her commanding 5 ½-length maiden victory at Ellis Park on Sept. 3. Trained by Brad Cox, Juju's Map will be ridden by Florent Geroux from post one. Breaking from the outside post 12 is Jim McIngvale's Runup. A daughter of 2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Runhappy, the Laura Wohlers-trained Runup won the Sorority Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park on Sept. 6 for her second victory in three starts. Runup will be ridden by Joseph Ramos. Trainer Kenny McPeek has won the Alcibiades five times. On Friday, he sends out Milam Farm's Penny Saver, who broke her maiden by a widening 9 ½ lengths at Churchill Downs on Sept. 24. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount, breaking from post 10.

A “Win and You're In” berth in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) will be awarded to the winner of the $250,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2), which will be run prior to the Darley Alcibiades. Paradise Farm Corp. and David Staudacher's Special Reserve, a winner of four races this year, leads the seven-horse field. Trained by Mike Maker and ridden from post six by Joel Rosario, Special Reserve finished second in Keeneland's Commonwealth Stakes (G3) in April, then won the Maryland Match Series Sprint Stakes (G3) at Pimlico, and the Iowa Sprint Stakes at Prairie Meadows, prior to finishing second in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga on July 31. Griffon Farms and Michelle Lovell's homebred Just Might has won his last four races. Trained by Lovell, Just Might comes into the race off a frontrunning victory in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sept. 18. Just Might will be ridden by Colby Hernandez from post four.

Saturday's card at Keeneland is headlined by the Keeneland Turf Mile, which drew an outstanding field of 13 bidding for an automatic starting position in the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1). Order of Australia returns to Keeneland where last year he came off the also-eligible list to win the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at 70-1. Trained by Aidan O'Brien for owners Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Anne Marie O'Brien, Order of Australia won the Romanised Minstrel Stakes (G2) at The Curragh in Ireland in July, and was second in the prestigious Prix de Moulin de Longchamp (G1) in his most recent start on Sept. 5. John Velazquez has the mount from post 10.

Bonne Chance Farm and Stud R D I's Ivar (BRZ) is the defending Turf Mile Champion, winning the 2020 race at 14-1. Trained by Pablo Lobo, Ivar finished fourth in last year's FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile. In his lone start of 2021, Ivar finished sixth in the Old Forester Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 1. Joe Talamo has the mount, breaking from post six. Trainer Mike Maker has entered three runners, including Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable's Somelikeithotbrown, who won the Dinner Party Stakes (G2) at Pimlico in May and has finished second in his last two starts, the Wise Dan (G2) at Churchill Downs and the WinStar Mint Million Stakes (G3) at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 6. Joe Ortiz will ride, breaking from post 13.

Saturday's co-feature is the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, and the winner receives an invitation to the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1). Among the 13 entered, Phoenix Thoroughbred's Double Thunder has won three times in four stats for trainer Todd Pletcher, including the Bashford Manor (G3) at Churchill Downs and the Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sept. 5. L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Stellar Tap broke his maiden at Saratoga on Aug. 7 and gave Steve Asmussen his 9,446th victory, setting the all-time mark for most wins by a trainer. Stellar Tap, ridden from post three by Ricardo Santana Jr., will try to improve upon his fifth-place finish as the even-money favorite in the “Win and You're In”' Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs on Sept. 18.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska has had a sensational year, winning five of six races, and is expected to lead Sunday's Juddmonte Spinster Stakes, which is a “Win and You're In” for the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska gained a free berth into the Breeders' Cup Distaff when she captured the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park in June. She also captured two more Breeders' Cup Challenge races, taking the Fleur de Lis (G2) at Churchill Downs and the Personal Ensign (G1) at Saratoga. Juddmonte's Bonny South finished just a half-length behind Letruska in the Personal Ensign. The 4-year-old filly won Keeneland's Baird Doubledogdare Stakes (G3) in April.

Also on Sunday, the 1 1/16-mile Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes (G2) on turf will give the winner an automatic starting position into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). Among the expected starters is Silverton Hill's Red Danger, who won the Global Tote Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 9 for trainer Bryan Lynch, and Phoenix Thoroughbred's Tiz the Bomb, winner of the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile Stakes on Sept. 6 for trainer Kenny McPeek.

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Santa Anita To Offer ‘Ship & Win Program’ For Upcoming Winter/Spring Meet

As part of a continuing effort to attract new horses and thus help to ensure better field size, Santa Anita Park will again be offering significant bonuses to horsemen bringing out of state horses to run at Santa Anita's upcoming Winter/Spring Meet which opens on Dec. 26.

Eligible horses will receive a $5,000 bonus as well as purse money 35 percent above their allotted purse percentage for one start. Horses who become eligible at the 2021 Del Mar Fall Meet will also be eligible for Ship & Win bonuses for their first start at Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Meet.

The $5,000 bonus will also apply to any stakes horse that meets Ship & Win eligibility guidelines, but those horses will not be eligible for the 35 percent purse increase.

“All of us have been gratified at the success of the Ship & Win program this year, at both Del Mar and here at Santa Anita,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “We're certainly hoping to continue to attract more out of state horses this winter and spring and given the significant amount of money available, this has certainly incentivized our horsemen to go out and procure additional racing prospects.”

Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Meet Condition Book One will be available online at santaanita.com on Nov. 29. For additional information regarding Santa Anita's 2021-22 Ship & Win Program, please visit our website or call the Santa Anita Racing Office at (626) 574-RACE.

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Reigning Champion Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Secures 3,000th Career Victory

Irad Ortiz, Jr., winner of the last three Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey, captured his 3,000th career win in Thursday's fifth race aboard Saratoga Kisses at Belmont Park.

Co-owned by trainer Rudy Rodriguez with Parkland Thoroughbreds, Saratoga Kisses was in front at the half-mile call of the six-furlong maiden claiming sprint for New York-bred juvenile fillies and widened her margin impressively en route to an 8 1/4-length score.

“It's very exciting,” said Ortiz, Jr., who is currently 15th on the all-time earnings list, amassing more than $220 million in purses in a career that started in 2011. “I have to thank all the owners and connections and trainers who have supported me from Day One. Without them, none of this would be possible.”

According to records provided by Equibase, the 3,000 victories incudes 92 wins from the 29-year-old rider's homeland of Puerto Rico.

Ortiz, Jr. has enjoyed tremendous success on the NYRA circuit, winning the year-end title on three occasions [2014, 2015 and 2017].

His individual NYRA meet success includes winning the Angel Cordero, Jr. Riding Title as top Saratoga jockey three times [2015, 2018 and 2020]; as well as leading the way at the Belmont spring/summer meet [2014, 2018, 2020]; the Belmont fall meet [2014-2018]; the Aqueduct fall meet [2015, 2019], the Aqueduct spring meet [2017, 2018] and the former Aqueduct inner track title [2012-13, 2013-14, 2017].

“I'm very competitive,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “I love what I do. I come here and [try] to ride every race, every single day because that's what I love.”

Since starting his career in 2011, Ortiz, Jr. has never won less than 150 races in a year and is on pace to crack the 300-win mark for the seventh consecutive campaign in 2021. He has topped all North American jockeys in both wins and earnings in every year since 2017.

Among his most famous victories over Big Sandy was aboard Creator when securing a dramatic nose score in the 2016 Belmont Stakes for his lone win in a Triple Crown race.

The veteran rider has flaunted his talent at racetracks across the continent at the highest level posting 203 career graded stakes wins, including 60 Grade 1 victories. Ortiz, Jr. boasts 11 Breeders' Cup wins, including a score in the 2019 Grade 1 Classic aboard Vino Rosso at Santa Anita Park.

Ortiz, Jr. has made an impact beyond just his success on the track. He also has been active in assisting the backstretch community in New York, especially during the last two years as the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the need for additional support and supplies.

In July, he was honored by the New York Race Track Chaplaincy for his generous and continued devotion to the backstretch community at its “Champions Talk” fundraiser, joining a select list of honorees who in the past have included the likes of Hall of Fame rider Edgar Prado, owner Michael Dubb and philanthropists and Saratoga icons Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson.

“He's just a heck of a guy,” said Humberto Chavez, who heads the New York division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America. “He's always looking to make sure that the people who take care of the horses he rides are also being taken care of as well. He really bonds with them.”

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