irad ortiz jr | Horse Racing Free Tips

Known Agenda Possible for Florida Derby

St. Elias Stable's Known Agenda (Curlin) may have earned his way into the GI Curlin Florida Derby field Friday after romping to a 11-length victory in the Gulfstream Park's fourth race, a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds.

“We'll talk about it with Mr. and Mrs. Viola and their team,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “We'll talk about it, but I think he ran well enough today that it's definitely in play.”

Known Agenda, who was sent to post as the 1-2 favorite in a field of six, rated off a solid early pace contested by Etched in Stone (Cairo Prince), Top Gun Tommy (Mineshaft) and Warrior in Chief (Kantharos) during a half-mile in :47.89. Top Gun Tommy won the pace battle to take a clear lead into the stretch under Paco Lopez, but Known Agenda loomed large on the turn and quickly took charge at the top of the stretch and drew off under Irad Ortiz Jr. The chestnut covered the Florida Derby distance of 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.47 while equipped with blinkers for the first time.

“Johnny [Velazquez] recommended blinkers last time,” said Pletcher. “We just needed to get him a little more focused. We know he's got a lot of talent. He's shown it in the mornings and hints of it in the afternoon. We're just trying to get him a little more consistent. It looks like today the blinkers helped. He got into the race a little bit more and won impressively in the end.”

The homebred finished fifth in the Feb. 6 GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs following a distant third in the Dec. 5 GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct after getting bumped at the start.

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Gulfstream Park: Wednesday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot To Have $250,000 Guarantee

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $250,000 Wednesday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved the day after a lucky bettor broke the jackpot for $712,824.06 Saturday. Multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $29,289.02 Sunday.

The jackpot pool is only 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.

WHO'S HOT: Trainer Kent Sweezey celebrated his birthday with back-to back victories with Apreciado ($9) in Race 10 and Selfmade ($7.80) in Race 11.

Marcos Meneses scored back-to-back wins with powerful late rallies aboard Zero Gravity ($21.40) in Race 6 and Textpectations ($13.80) in Race 7.

Tyler Gaffalione won back-to-back with Picking Up Pennies ($4.40) in Race 2 and Makisupa ($4.40) in Race 3.

Irad Ortiz Jr. pushed his Championship Meet win total to 98 with victories aboard Don't Get Khozy ($4.20) in Race 5 and Selfmade ($7.80) in Race 11.

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Gulfstream Park: Castellano Returns, Irad Ortiz Jr. Rides Five Winners; Jackpot Has $400,000 Guarantee On Thursday

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano returned to action Wednesday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., after sitting out for three months while rehabbing from surgery on his right leg.

The five-time Championship Meet titlist finished fourth aboard Sexy Dream in Race 9, a mile optional starter allowance for 3-year-old fillies that was taken off the turf. While the result may not have been what he would have likes, Castellano was more than happy to get back to riding horses in the afternoon.

“I'm every excited, very motivated,” Castellano said. “That was my first mount. We all are looking to win first time. It didn't work out, but we're looking at the big picture. We're looking to get fit, riding a lot of horses. I'm looking to work hard. Hopefully, I'll get a lot of support from the owners and trainers.”

A winner of 5,328 races and more than $354 million in purse earnings, Castellano had arthroscopic surgery to clean up some debris in his right leg, near the hip, Nov. 16 in New York. He went through physical therapy and returned to Florida earlier this month to start getting on horses.

Castellano is named on two horses Thursday – Todd Pletcher-trained Deemed Essential in Race 7, a maiden special weight on turf for 3-year-old fillies, and Graham Motion-trained All Come True in Race 10, a mile optional claiming allowance for older fillies and mares on turf.

Castellano won a record five consecutive Championship Meet riding titles at Gulfstream from 2011-12 through 2015-16. During that time, he was voted the Eclipse Award as champion jockey four times, from 2013-16.

Thursday's Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $400,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $400,000 Thursday at Gulfstream Park.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for a second racing day following Saturday's mandatory payout. Multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $4,130 Wednesday.

WHO'S HOT: Fresh off a natural grand slam Sunday, defending two-time Championship Meet titlist Irad Ortiz Jr. rode another five winners Wednesday, scoring aboard Cat Lady ($4.60) in Race 1, Jacohare ($13.80) in Race 2, American Matters ($7.60) in Race 5, Dem a Wonder ($4.60) in Race 6, and Subsidiary ($10.60) in Race 8.

Ortiz sits atop the jockey standings with 93 wins.

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Heavily Favored Mischevious Alex Captures Gulfstream Park Sprint

Cash is King LLC and LC Racing LLC's Mischevious Alex asserted his class to score a comfortable 3 ½-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Gulfstream Park Sprint, a six-furlong dash for 4-year-olds and up, and the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint (G3), a five-furlong race for older horses on turf, co-headlined a 12-race program that also featured a mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool.

Mischevious Alex, who was sent to post as the 2-5 favorite in a field reduced to four by scratches, recorded his second straight victory of the 2020-2021 Championship Meet with the April 3 Carter (G1) at Aqueduct or the Golden Shaheen (G1) on the March 28 Dubai World Cup undercard being targeted for his next start.

“The Carter is the primary goal. The Dubai sprint is in our minds, but we're going to talk it over and decide,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “[Cash is King LLC's] Chuck [Zacney] has a game plan to try to win a Grade 1 this year.”

Mischievous Alex, who won a Jan. 10 optional claiming allowance impressively while making his first start for Joseph off a five-month layoff, broke alertly to contest the early pace outside pacesetter Cajun Brother and inside Frosted Grace along the backstretch. Cajun Brother ran the first quarter of a mile in 22.45 with Mischevious Alex traveling comfortably to his outside under Irad Ortiz Jr. The odds-on favorite moved to a narrow lead on the turn into the homestretch with Frosted Grace looming boldly to his outside. Asked for some run at the top of the stretch, the 4-year-old son of Into Mischief offered a powerful kick to win with authority.

“It worked out well. He got the job done,” Joseph said. “He broke well and I was happy how he broke. For a brief moment, where he was in a little tight, Irad did a great job of maintaining his spot. After that, he stayed six furlongs strongly. At six furlongs, you don't have to worry about him stopping. He keeps getting stronger towards the end.”

Mischievous Alex, who captured the 2020 Swale (G3) at Gulfstream, ran six furlongs in 1:09.55.

“I got a good trip. The horse put me in a good position early. I think [Cajun Brother] had the speed from the break so I just let him go ahead. I sat there and was patient and when it was time to let him go, I just let him go and he responded really well,” Ortiz said. “He's doing great.”

Frosted Grace finished second under Luis Saez, a half-length ahead of Cajun Brother and jockey Miguel Vasquez.

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