Belmont Racing Festival Success Nets Jose Ortiz Jockey Of The Week Title

Jose Ortiz won two Grade 1 stakes races and a Grade 2 stakes during Belmont Park's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, earning Jockey of the Week for June 1 through June 6. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

While Ortiz was originally scheduled to ride numerous mounts during the three-day Racing Festival, he picked up several more after his brother, Irad, went down in an on-track accident Thursday requiring jockey changes for Friday and Saturday. To everyone's relief, Irad was not seriously injured and is scheduled to return to riding soon. Jose went on to make the most of the mounts he picked up.

On Friday, Ortiz picked up the mount on Firenze Fire for trainer Kelly Breen in the Grade 2 True North at 6-1/2 furlongs. Firenze Fire broke from the rail and engaged Flagstaff for nearly the entire race before prevailing by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:15.52.

“(Irad) said he's a very nice horse and that he was going to break good,” said the replacement Ortiz. “I rode him like he was the best horse and he was the best horse.”

On Saturday, Ortiz was named his brother's replacement on Drain the Clock for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs. Under Ortiz, Drain the Clock broke sharp from post 2 while the favorite, Jackie's Warrior missed the break but was hustled up to take command with Drain the Clock in unrelenting pursuit. Drain the Clock hit the wire in front by a neck. The win was Ortiz's first career Woody Stephens.

“It was a great race, everybody gave their best. I'm just happy we came out with the win and I'm happy filling in for Irad and not messing it up,” said Ortiz.

Later on Saturday, Ortiz picked up Letruska for Fausto Gutierrez in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps for older fillies and mares going 1-1/16 miles on the main track. With Ortiz aboard, Letruska went right to the lead out of the gate, led the other four up the backstretch and opened up to draw off by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:41;25. Ortiz said Letruska would not be denied the lead.

“She was breaking a little slow, but she broke good today. I was able to put her on the lead and make the other horses chase me,” said Ortiz.

Ortiz's weekly statistics were 32-5-5-4 for an in-the-money percentage of 43.7 and total purse earnings of $1,370,764.

For Jockey of the Week honors, Ortiz out-polled Edwin Gonzalez with an in-the-money rate of 62 percent, Flavien Prat with two graded stakes wins, Diego Saenz who was the leading jockey by wins with 10, and Luis Saez who won the Belmont Stakes.

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Piedi Bianchi Named Indiana’s 2020 Horse Of The Year

Each year, members of the Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (ITOBA) honor the state's top performers with a spring banquet. Due to restrictions associated with COVID-19, the banquet was canceled the past two seasons, but the state is still honoring the top performers of 2020 during the 2021 season at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.

Top performers in each division are highlighted daily on the simulcast production, and to honor two of the state's top awards, a special presentation was made Tuesday, June 8 for the ITOBA/Indiana Breed Development Breeder of the Year and the 2020 Champion Indiana Horse of the Year. Top breeding honors were awarded to Deann Baer and Greg Baer, DVM, breeders on the Champion Horse of 2020 Piedi Bianchi.

The Baers have bred many winners in recent years. Hailing from Columbus, Ind., the small breeding operation sends many yearlings to the sales in Kentucky where Piedi Bianchi was originally transported as a weanling. Her current connections of Jay Oringer, Jack Bick, Al Bianchi Racing LLC, Adam Bayroff and Mike Maturo purchased the filly at the Ocala Breeders Sale during her 2-year-old season and have reaped rewards since that time.

Piedi Bianchi won two of three starts at Indiana Grand in 2020. Overall, she has won six races in 24 starts with earnings of more than $650,000. The multiple graded stakes placed daughter of Overanalyze has had success outside of the borders of Indiana, winning at Aqueduct and Del Mar with a fifth-place finish in the Breeders Cup Juvenile at two at Del Mar. She most recently finished second in the Grade 3 Intercontinental Stakes at Belmont Park.

“We hope to get her back to where we started in November at Del Mar (Breeders Cup),” said Jay Oringer, who was present for the awards ceremony. “Her career is winding down, but we hope she has a few more good races in her. Once she is done racing, she will be a broodmare and we are thinking Tapit. The baby should come out nice and grey.”

Oringer and his partners work hard to ensure every horse they have ever owned gets a good home after racing. A portion of the earnings from Piedi Bianchi goes to racehorse aftercare.

“It's important to us to give to aftercare,” added Oringer. “We make sure all of our horses are taken care of after they are done, even if we have to claim them back.”

Oringer was in town to watch another horse under his ownership in the Shelby County Stakes on the Wednesday, June 9 card at Indiana Grand. Expect Indy, trained by Cipriano Contreras, is set to start from post three with Santo Sanjur aboard. She is the favorite in the field of nine and won the $75,000 stakes race in 2019.

The 19th running of the Shelby County is one of two stakes on the Wednesday card, joined by the 18th running of the $75,000 William Henry Harrison Stakes. The stakes are set as races six and eight, respectively, on the card.

Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing, and Leigh Ann Hopper and Terry Phillips of ITOBA, were on hand for the trophy presentations. Rachel McLaughlin, on-air racing commentator, conducted the special ceremony. Trainer Tim Glyshaw accepted the award on behalf of the Baers.

The 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is now in progress and continues through Monday, Nov. 8. Live racing is conducted at 2:25 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, with first post on Thursday set at 3:25 p.m. A special Indiana Champions Day highlighting the state's top Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses will be held Saturday, Oct. 30, beginning at noon.

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California Sire Old Topper Dies At Age 26

Longtime California stallion Old Topper was euthanized due to issues from old age at Tommy Town Thoroughbreds. He was 26 and had been pensioned in 2019.

The son of Gilded Time was a perennial leading sire in California, with 27 stakes winners and lifetime progeny earnings of more than $22 million.

Old Topper's leading earner is Ain't No Other ($715,280) and his runners included multiple stakes winner Queen Bee to You, graded winner Top Kisser and this year's Evening Jewel Stakes winner, Becca Taylor.

On the track, Old Topper was a multiple graded winner.

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Tattersalls July Sale Catalog Now Online

The catalog for the 2021 Tattersalls July Sale can be viewed online at www.tattersalls.com and will be published on Thursday, June 10.

Numbering 853 lots, the sale comprises 742 horses and fillies in/out of training and 110 broodmares, thirteen of which have foals at foot. Taking place Wednesday, July 7 – Friday, July 9, the three-day sale features high class consignments from many of the world's leading owner/breeders including Cheveley Park Stud, Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms, Newsells Park Stud, Shadwell Estates and the Royal Studs.

Long established as Europe's premier midsummer sale, the Tattersalls July Sale has produced the dams of an impressive 11 individual Group 1 winners since 2019, including the 2020 Group 1 winners Golden Horde, Campanelle, and Russian Cemelot for 14,000 guineas, 39,000 guineas and 40,000 guineas respectively.

The major owner/breeders Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms and Shadwell Estates have 187 lots catalogued between them, while the 110 broodmares include mares in foal to proven Group 1 sires Bated Breath, Dark Angel, Dutch Art, Iffraaj, Invincible Spirit, Make Believe, Mayson, Mahmas, New Approach, Oasis Dream, Sea the Moon, Showcasing, Sir Percy, and Tamayuz. Young sires are equally well represented with mares in foal to exciting Group 1 winners Aclaim, Advertise, Blue Point, Chirchill, Cracksman, Earthlight, Eqtidaar, Expert Eye, Havana Grey, Masar, Mohaather, New Bay, Profitable, Ribchester, Study of Man, Ten Sovereigns, Ulysses, Unfortunately, and Without Parole, all likely to attract attention.

The Godolphin draft at the July Sale is always highly sought after and this year looks set to be no exception with high-class lots amongst the Godolphin consigned broodmares including the Group 2 Balanchine Stakes placed Prussian and the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes winner Long Lashes, in foal to exciting young sires Ribchester and Earthlight respectively. Others of note include Kashira, a daughter of the 1,000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks winner Kazzia cataloged in foal to Dark Angel, and Subella, a half-sister to the dam of 1,000 Guineas runner up Cloak of Spirits from the family of Zomaradah and Dubawi carrying to Invincible Spirit. Maid's Cap, a half-sister to the Group 1 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter, in foal to the European Champion three-year-old Cracksman is another mare certain to attract interest. Well-bred fillies amongst the Godolphin consignment include Queen of Zabeel, an Iffraaj daughter of Group 1 winner Music Show, and Hidden Thought, a winning Dubawi daughter of the Epsom Oaks runner up Secret Gesture from the family of the exceptional broodmare Shastye.

The draft from Shadwell Estates contains several eye-catching broodmares including Dubai Fashion, a dual Listed runner up from the famed Height of Fashion family in foal to four-time Group 1 winning sprinter Blue Point, and Elraazy, a winning daughter of the Epsom Oaks winner Eswarah carrying to Sea the Moon. Cheveley Park Stud will also offer a high-class consignment including the Group and Listed winners Hooray and Finidaprest, both in foal to Ulysses, and Listed winner Tigrilla in foal to Twilight Son.

Other mares from high profile families include Baroda Stud's Roodica, a half-sister to the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes winner Accidental Agent from the family of Moohaather in foal to promising young sire New Bay, and the Meon Valley Stud consigned Monzza, a daughter of Group 1 winner Zee Zee Top in foal to Bated Breath. The National Stud will consign the well related Royal Eloquence, a half-sister to the top-class producer Swiss Lake in foal to Ribchester and with a colt foal by Night of Thunder at foot.

Further mares and fillies of interest include Barton Sales' well-bred Tianadargent, a full-sister to the Group 2 winner Rrstiadargent carrying to sire-sensation Mehmas, the Castlebridge Consignment's dual Listed winner Seaside Song, in foal to Study of Man, and the Listed runner up Norma, out of a half-sister to the Classic winner Duncan and Group 2 winners Samuel and Gretchen.

Buyers focused on horses in training look equally well catered for with an abundance of winning proven and unexposed performers amongst the 742 horses in/out of training cataloged. The high-class sprinter Make a Challenge, a five time Listed winner and twice Group 2 placed for Denis Hogan, and Roger Varian's Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes victor Pierre Lapin lead the older horses with top-class Group form. They will be joined by the four-year-old Dark Pine, rated 106 by Timeform following three wins this year for David Loughnane. Three-year-olds cataloged with high-class form include the superbly bred Seventh Kingdom, a son of Frankel out of the Group 1 winner Nayarra who placed in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at two. He will be joined by Andrew Balding's King Vega, runner up in the Group 3 Solario Stakes.

Promising lightly raced winning 3-year-olds include the Roger Varian trained Nagano, who boasts a Timeform rating of 104p following two impressive wins from his three starts. Roger Varian's Carlburg Stables will also consign the New Bay colt La Tihaty, a winner of two of his three starts and Timeform rated 99p. The Juddmonte Farms consigned Probe, awarded an official rating of 100 following wins on his last two starts, and unexposed performers from the Shadwell Estates consignment such as winning debutant Asjad look certain to attract plenty of interest. Other horses with potential include the John & Thady Gosden trained Restitution, a winner and placed on his only two starts who will be consigned by Jamie Railton, and the Aguiar Bloodstock consigned winning two-year-olds Caio Shark and Secret Strength.

Eye-catching lots amongst the fillies in training are George Boughey's promising two-year-old Oscula, an impressive three length winner of the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom on her most recent start, and the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes runner up Hala Hala Hala, a daughter of Exceed and Excel consigned by Kevin Ryan's Hambleton Lodge Stables. Other well bred fillies to feature include the Castlebridge Consignment's Under Wraps, a daughter of Group 1 Prix de Diane winner Confidential Lady by Kingman, and the Kingsley Park consigned Fragrant Storm, a Frankel half-sister to the multiple Group 1 placed and dual Group 3 winner Nayef Road. Juddmonte Farms also offer their customarily strong draft of well bred fillies including daughters of Acclamation, Frankel, Invincible Spirit, Kingman, and Oasis Dream.

Commenting on the 2021 Tattersalls July Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said;

“The Tattersalls July Sale has an extraordinary record not only for producing high class horses in training, but also broodmares of the very highest quality. To date in 2021 mares purchased from the July Sale have produced Group 1 and 2 winners in America, Australia, Dubai and Japan bought for as little as 8,000 guineas and headed by the outstanding Group 1 Australian Oaks winner Hungry Heart whose dam Harlech was a 60,000 guineas purchase from Godolphin in 2016. This year's Tattersalls July catalogue features the usual compelling combination of well bred fillies and in foal mares as well as high class horses in training and significant consignments from Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms and Shadwell Estates, all of which look set to attract plenty of interest from domestic and international buyers alike.”

The Tattersalls July Sale will take place from Wednesday, July 7 to Friday, July 9 and buyers unable to attend the sale in person will be able to bid via the Tattersalls Live Internet Bidding platform or telephone bidding through members of the Tattersalls team. Full details of the expanded bidding options can be found on the Tattersalls website.

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