Tag: irad ortiz jr

Both Ortiz Brothers Get Days At Spa For ‘Careless Riding’

Brothers Irad Ortiz Jr., and Jose Ortiz will both serve three-day “careless riding” suspensions Aug. 9-11 that were imposed by the Saratoga Race Course stewards for separate infractions that involved winning rides last week. Both jockeys elected not to appeal their penalties.

Irad Ortiz crossed the wire first but got disqualified aboard 1.45-1 favorite Eyes On Target (Exaggerator) in the seventh race July 27, a $25,000 claiming turf route.

The Equibase chart stated that in upper stretch, his mount “was under a light drive in behind the top pair just off the inside, had the rider look to the outside, tipped out into a space three to four paths off the rail forcing Tartini (Giant's Causeway) to check between to pinching foes and Tommy Bee (Medaglia d'Oro) who was attempting to angle in to the seam from the outside to pause and steady in behind and to the outside of Tartini…”

Eyes On Target then rallied and was just up in the final few jumps to prevail.

Tartini's jockey, Dylan Davis, claimed foul after finishing eighth. The stewards demoted Eyes on Target and placed Ortiz's mount behind that fouled rival. Tommy Bee crossed the wire fifth.

Jose Ortiz won the tenth race July 26, a $40,000 maiden-claiming turf route, aboard the 5-1 Indian Mischief (Into Mischief).

The Equibase chart stated that after making the lead and straightening away in the stretch, Indian Mischief “came under a left handed crop and drifted out two paths directly in front and impeding He's a Lucky Guy [Street Boss] forcing that foe to check just off his heels sharp enough to displace large chunks of the sod in a halt while brushing that foe with his hindquarters…” before inching away to victory.

After a stewards' inquiry, the results stood.

The post Both Ortiz Brothers Get Days At Spa For ‘Careless Riding’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Forte Survives Inquiry in Jim Dandy Thriller

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's champion Forte (Violence) just got up to nail the pacesetting Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) by a nose and had to survive a stewards' inquiry in a roughly run renewal of Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. in the Saratoga slop.

Racing with blinkers for the first time, the 3-4 favorite traveled kindly on the inside in third beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. as Saudi Crown led the field of five through fractions of :23.93 and :48.10.

All dressed up with nowhere to go approaching the quarter pole, Ortiz Jr. forced his way out at the top of the stretch and Forte bumped repeatedly with Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) as they straightened. Racing in between rivals down the lane, Forte kept on fighting from very tight quarters and showed the heart of a champion to nail the narrow GIII Dwyer S. runner-up, who was drifting out several paths late himself, on the money.

“You're the one with a target on your back and you've got another stable (Brad Cox) with three horses in there,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We were expecting some race tactics. I think once he was able to get himself in the clear and the horse on the lead (Saudi Crown) kept drifting out, out, out and maybe into the eight path at one point. Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] said that compromised him a little bit from moving forward sooner.”

Pletcher added, “He loves the game. He's always been that way, he's always trained super. He's very competitive in the afternoons, he's an intelligent horse.”

Ortiz Jr. said, “I was close to the rail (looking for room in stretch run). The horse in front stayed there. I had a chance to hit the clear, I did. As soon as I hit the clear, my horse go forward.

He continued, “The horse in front, I don't know if he see something, but he was getting out bad. He kept coming out, coming out, but I'm on his heels. It was hard to stop at the moment of the race. I was right there. I was close to making the lead. At the same time, I have the other horse (Angel of Empire), finally we get straight and he corrects his horse and we get to the wire and thank God, we get a head in front at the end.”

The Jim Dandy is the traditional local prep for the GI Travers S. Aug. 26, a race that Pletcher had indicated is the main summer goal for Forte.

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Forte, scratched on the morning of the GI Kentucky Derby with a well-documented foot bruise, ran a strong second in the 1 1/2-mile GI Belmont S. while making his first start since capturing the GI Curlin Florida Derby Apr. 1.

Forte's connections are currently appealing his disqualification from a win in last summer's GI Hopeful S. at Saratoga due to the presence of meloxicam in his system.

Pedigree Notes:

Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola bought 43 yearlings for more than $16 million to top the sheets for the first of two straight years at the 2021 Keeneland September sale. Forte was a $110,000 purchase out of that auction.

Forte is one of six top-level winners for Violence. Forte's broodmare sire Blame has 14 stakes/six graded winners out of his daughters.

Forte is the first foal out of Queen Caroline, with her now-juvenile colt Dr. Park (Uncle Mo) hammering for $850,000 to Mayberry Farm at Keeneland September. Her third dam is the MGSW Jeano (Fappiano), whose descendants also include champions Folklore (Tiznow) and Essential Quality (Tapit); Japanese champion Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}); and additional GISW Come Dancing (Malibu Moon). The family traces tail-female to the great La Troienne through her Broodmare of the Year granddaughter by War Admiral, Striking.

Saturday, Saratoga Race Course
JIM DANDY S. PRESENTED BY DK HORSE-GII, $485,000,
Saratoga, 7-29, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:49.61, sy.
1–FORTE, 124, c, 3, by Violence
                1st Dam: Queen Caroline (MSW, $401,608), by Blame
                2nd Dam: Queens Plaza, by Forestry
                3rd Dam: Kew Garden, by Seattle Slew
($80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-South Gate Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $275,000. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 9-7-1-0, $2,954,830. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Saudi Crown, 118, c, 3, Always Dreaming–New Narration, by Tapit. ($45,000 Ylg '21 KEEJAN; $240,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-FMQ Stables; B-Chc Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $100,000.
3–Angel of Empire, 124, c, 3, Classic Empire–Armony's Angel, by To Honor and Serve. ($32,000 RNA Wlg '20 KEENOV; $70,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC; B-Forgotten Land Investment Inc & Black Diamond Equine Corp (PA); T-Brad H. Cox. $60,000.
Margins: NO, HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.75, 3.50, 5.70.
Also Ran: Disarm, Hit Show.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

 

The post Forte Survives Inquiry in Jim Dandy Thriller appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

So Noted: Pletcher, Repole Team Up For Saratoga Maiden Win On Grass

by Bill Finley and Stefanie Grimm

Mike Repole has had dozens of top horses and has won a slew of 2-year-old maiden races in Saratoga over the many years he's been a force in the ownership ranks. But, usually, Repole's strength is with young dirt horses. It might be time to rethink that.

Repole is the co-owner of what is arguably the top grass horse in the sport in the 4-year-old Up to the Mark, the winner of this year's GI Turf Classic S. at Churchill Downs and the GI Manhattan S. at Belmont. And now he's got another one that could some day follow in his footsteps.

The team of Repole, Todd Pletcher and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. teamed up to win Saturday's first race at Saratoga, a mile-and-a-sixteenth maiden special weight race on the grass with a $136,500 purse with 3-5 favorite Noted (Cairo Prince). A $200,000 Keeneland September purchase, it was his second career start after he finished second in his debut in a five-furlong turf maiden at Belmont. Clearly relishing the stretch out in distance, Noted stalked the pace set by Fortune Seller (Kitten's Joy) before grabbing the lead at the top of the stretch. Noted edged clear of Fortune Seller at the sixteenth pole and then had to hold off a bid from Spirit Prince (Cairo Prince), who was making his debut for trainer Christophe Clement. Sons of Cairo Prince finished one-two.

“We entered him in a dirt race that didn't fill, so we opted to try the turf,” Pletcher said. “He had enough pedigree to suggest he would take to the turf.”

“I was happy with the win,” Repole said. “He needed more ground after his first start. He was training well on the dirt but we decided to try him on the turf early on. I think it's paying dividends.”

Bred by Brereton C. Jones, Noted is out of Sea View Millie (Proud Citizen) and was the dam's first winner.

Pletcher said the GIII With Anticipation S. on Aug. 31 would be next for Noted.

Pletcher has still another top turf horse in his barn in the 3-year-old Far Bridge (English Channel), who is owned by LSU Stables. Far Bridge is coming off a win in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational S.

Out of a full-sister to MGSW Mark Valeski and a half to GSW & GI Haskell Invitational S. runner up Albano (Istan), Noted has a yearling half-sister by Global Campaign while his dam reported a filly by Upstart this spring.

1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 7-22, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:46.57, gd, 1/2 length.
NOTED (c, 2, Cairo Prince–Sea View Millie, by Proud Citizen)    Sales History: $200,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $75,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Repole Stable; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

The post So Noted: Pletcher, Repole Team Up For Saratoga Maiden Win On Grass appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Forte Works Towards Jim Dandy; Becky’s Joker To Spinaway

Reigning Champion 2-Year-Old colt Forte (Violence) logged his first breeze of the summer at Saratoga Race Course when covering a half-mile in :48.90 seconds over the Oklahoma dirt training track Friday with regular jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. up for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

The colt worked in company with graded stakes-winner Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) in preparation for the GII Jim Dandy July 29 at the Spa.

“He jumped on the bridle a little early, so I kind of took a little hold away from the horse,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I allowed him to see the company and go after him. He did.”

Pletcher said he was pleased with the work, which he moved to the training track after heavy rains overnight led to the main track being sealed this morning.

“We fortunately had the option of coming over here on a harrowed track,” said Pletcher. “I thought he worked well. He's a pretty straightforward horse and he does what you ask him to do. I thought he was moving really well and he seemed happy. He usually sits a little off [his workmate] to keep him focused.”

Ortiz, Jr., who regularly works the colt, said Forte was as professional as usual.

“We went 48 and change. On this kind of track, it is really good,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “He is doing good. He looked good, he looked happy, so let's see what happens. The way he does things [excites me]. He knows where the wire is. He loves to win. You can see in the Belmont Stakes, I kept trying with him and he kept coming. He's a fighter.”

“He's obviously a very fit horse and he just ran a mile and a half, so we don't feel like we have to do a lot with him leading up to this race,” continued Pletcher. “We'll probably come back with another maintenance work next week.”

“I think you can see he's a little more laid back. He's an intelligent colt and takes everything in stride, and you can see he's matured that way,” said Pletcher. “Obviously it was a frustrating spring and he ran terrific in the Belmont considering what he was up against. To me, he's a deserving divisional leader, but like everyone else, he's got to continue to win to hold that spot.”

Pletcher also provided an update on 2-year-old filly Wine On Tap (Tapit), who finished an even fourth in Thursday's GIII Schuylerville S. as the post-time favorite.

“She looks good. She was just kind of one-paced down the lane and I thought she recovered and galloped out really well,” said Pletcher. “She is a filly that we've always thought would be better going longer. It was just a little disappointing that she didn't finish up a little better than she did yesterday, but she came back well and looked good this morning.”

Speaking of the Schuylerville, trainer Gary Contessa was still watching replays on Friday morning of Lee Pokoik's Becky's Joker (Practical Joke), who launched what appears to be a promising career with a debut victory in the opening-day feature.

The sizable bay stands 16.3 hands high and, “towers over everybody” in the barn according to Contessa, who confirmed the filly for the seven-furlong GI Spinaway S. September 3 at the Spa.

“She came back sound and they tell me she looked great this morning,” said Contessa, who was catching a flight to Nashville to watch his son's baseball tournament. “She honestly can only get better. She's got a lot more left in the tank, so we're looking forward to seeing what she can come up with next. As big as she is, and as big as her stride is, she's going to get better as the distances stretch out. I think seven-eighths is going to hit her right between the eyeballs in the Spinaway.”

Contessa commented on the soundness and the good mind of his newly minted graded stakes winner.

“Knock on wood, she's been very, very sound and very healthy. Everything has gone our way so far, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that it continues,” Contessa said. “She's trained as well as any horse I've ever had as a 2-year-old. No matter what you ask her to do, she's push button and picks it up to another gear. Her mind is so good. She had it figured out and she's really a smart filly.”

One can expect Contessa, who has 10 stalls on Saratoga's Oklahoma backstretch, to unleash more promising young talent throughout the meet.

“All these babies are ready to run, so we're going to have a real presence,” Contessa said. “This was a great win to start with and we have even more pretty nice horses awaiting their turn.”

 

The post Forte Works Towards Jim Dandy; Becky’s Joker To Spinaway appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights