Irad Ortiz | Horse Racing Free Tips

Remsen: Zandon’s Owner Files Protest Over Foul That ‘Cost The Horse An Inch’

The finish of last Saturday's Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct was decided by nose, with Mo Donegal finishing ahead of Zandon.

According to the Equibase chart notes, second-place finisher Zandon “rallied to the lead in upper stretch, lost the advantage to the winner [Mo Donegal] before the eighth pole, dug in gamely on the inside in the final furlong, had the winner's rider [Irad Ortiz, Jr.] attempt to intimidate him late then bumped approaching the wire and just missed in a determined effort.”

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. was subsequently suspended 30 days for an incident that occurred on Friday at Aqueduct.

After a stewards' inquiry into the finish, the order of finish was confirmed. However, the Daily Racing Form now reports that Zandon's owner Jeff Drown has filed an appeal with the New York State Gaming Commission.

“We're hopeful the Gaming Commission will see there was a rules violation and there should be a review,” Drown's attorney Drew Mollica told DRF. “[Zandon] was beaten an inch. No way in the world the foul that occurred didn't cost the horse an inch.”

According to DRF, two of NYRA's three regular stewards were out of the stand on Saturday. Monmouth steward Stephen Pagano filled in for Commission steward Braulio Baeza, Jr., and retired Commission steward Carmine Donofrio filled in for Jockey Club steward Jen Durenberger.

Champion Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Sets His Sights On Fourth Straight Championship Meet Title

Having won more races at a single Championship Meet than any jockey in history, Irad Ortiz Jr. returns to Gulfstream Park for the 2021-2022 season with his sights set on a fourth straight riding title.

Already, the 29-year-old Ortiz is in elite company as one of just four riders to lead the country's premiere winter meet standings three consecutive years, along with Jeff Fell (1977-79), Jorge Chavez (1999-2001) and Javier Castellano. Hall of Famer Castellano won a record five straight before being unseated by Luis Saez in 2016-17.

Ortiz ended Saez's two-year reign to start his own streak in 2018-2019 and, after flirting with Saez's single-season standard of 137 wins that year before ending with 135, surpassed it in dramatic fashion by guiding Known Agenda to a 2 ¾-length upset of the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farm at Xalapa for No. 138.

Represented by agent Steve Rushing, Ortiz would finish with 140 wins including the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) with Colonel Liam who, like Known Agenda, is trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher. They also teamed up with Fearless in the WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), Con Lima in the Herecomesthebride (G3) and Always Shopping in the La Prevoyante (G3).

In all, Ortiz won 14 stakes last winter including the Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3) on Mischevious Alex. On Feb. 6, he won six of 12 races, one victory shy of the single-day track record shared by Saez, Tyler Gaffalione, Paco Lopez and Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey.

“It was a great meet last year for me. What I can I say?” Ortiz said. “I have to say thank you to all the people for their help. Without their help and their support, it wouldn't be possible, honestly. I want to go and have fun and enjoy my time there. It's great weather, it's great racing and, hopefully, we can do it again.”

Ortiz heads to Gulfstream off a November to remember that began at Del Mar, where he earned his fourth straight Bill Shoemaker Award as top jockey during the Breeders' Cup World Championships following wins in the Dirt Mile (G1), Turf Sprint (G1) and Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2). He also finished second in the Turf (G1).

From there he returned to New York and won three more stakes including the Red Smith (G2). On Nov. 23, he won three stakes at Zia Park in New Mexico for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, including the Zia Park Derby and Oaks; went to Kentucky for the Clark (G1) where he finished off the board with Pletcher's Dr Post; and was back in California to ride for regular client Chad Brown. While there, he won the Jimmy Durante (G3) for a second straight year.

“I've been doing good, thank God. My agent does a great job,” Ortiz said. “Those are three great trainers and three people that we ride for. We went and did the best we could and I'm happy.”

Ortiz has been voted the Eclipse Award as North America's champion jockey each of the last three years, and will be prominent in the discussion again in 2021. Entering December, he ranked first in North America in wins (327) and has won 57 stakes, 33 of them graded, including 10 Grade 1 races. He was second to Joel Rosario in purses earned with $28,534,585 and holds the single-season mark of $34.1 million set in 2019.

This year marks Ortiz's seventh straight with at least 300 wins and eighth in a row topping $20 million in purse earnings. He picked up his 3,000th career victory Oct. 7 at Belmont Park on Saratoga Kisses for owner-trainer Rudy Rodriguez, a total that included 92 wins in his native Puerto Rico, according to Equibase.

“When you ride against the best, you learn. You learn a lot,” Ortiz said. “I like those kinds of races. When you're riding against the best jockeys in the world you learn a lot from them even when you get beat. We have some experience from that, and that makes you better.”

Following the 2020-2021 Championship Meet, Ortiz finished second during Belmont Park's spring meet by two wins to younger brother, Jose, as well as to Saez at Saratoga. Winner of the Belmont fall meet by a single victory over his sibling, Ortiz was tied with Jose Lezcano atop Aqueduct's fall meet standings.

“I feel good,” Ortiz said. “I want to go [to Gulfstream] and have the same support from the trainers and owners, I hope. I know if I have the same support they've given me that I can do something. I feel positive. I'm looking forward to it.”

The 87-day Championship Meet featuring 76 stakes, 37 graded, worth $14.26 million in purses opens Friday and runs through Sunday, April 3.

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Classic Empire’s Classy Edition Remains Perfect in Key Cents

Classy Edition took her record to a perfect three-for-three and earned the second stakes victory of her career in the Key Cents S. at Aqueduct Sunday. The bay filly was outfooted in the early strides and raced near the back of the pack before rushing up three wide to be mid-pack down the backstretch. She ranged up five wide at the top of the lane, took charge with a furlong to run and strolled clear to the wire.

“It went pretty smoothly,” said winning trainer Todd Pletcher. “It looked like a race on paper that had plenty of pace. The main thing is we just wanted to keep her clean and out of trouble and Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] was able to do that. We had to sacrifice a little bit of ground, but she was able to get into a good, comfortable rhythm.”

Ortiz added, “She broke a step slow, but she put me in the race quick and after that I just waited in the turn. She's the type of filly that needs a little time to get going. She probably wants to go a little farther, but she kept coming and she got there on time. At the quarter-pole, she went by and she just kept going. She's a nice filly.”

Classy Edition was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following a 6 3/4-length romp versus state-bred foes in her 5 1/2-furlong bow at Saratoga Sept. 5 and she followed up with another dominant performance when an eight-length winner of the seven-furlong Joe A Gimma S. at Belmont Sept. 24.

Of possible next starts for Classy Edition, Pletcher said, “We'll see what other options we have now and what we'll do with her for the winter. We're looking forward to stretching her out because I think she ultimately wants two turns.”

Newbie produced a colt by American Pharoah in 2020. She was bred to Laoban in 2021. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

KEY CENTS S., $100,000, Aqueduct, 11-21, (S), 2yo, f, 6f, 1:12.19, ft.
1–CLASSY EDITION, 122, f, 2, by Classic Empire
                1st Dam: Newbie, by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Changeisgonnacome, by Cherokee Run
                3rd Dam: Top Tip, by Lost Code
'TDN Rising Star' ($550,000 2yo '21 EASMAY). O-Lawana L. &
   Robert E. Low; B-Chester & Mary R. Broman (NY); T-Todd A.
   Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $55,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0,
   $184,250. *1/2 to Newly Minted (Central Banker), MSW,
   $516,738; and to New Girl in Town (Boys At Tosconova), MSP,
   $172,505.
2–Captainsdaughter, 120, f, 2, Midshipman–Joan's Rose, by
Service Stripe. O-Joseph Birnbaum; B-Ocean View Stable (NY);
T-Russell J. Cash. $20,000.
3–Shesawildjoker, 122, f, 2, Practical Joke–Tarquinia, by
Speightstown. ($80,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Joseph Bucci;
B-Three Diamonds Farm (NY); T-David G. Donk. $12,000.
Margins: 3HF, NK, HF. Odds: 0.95, 50.75, 38.25.
Also Ran: Silver Fist, Cupid's Heart, Tosconova Beauty, Makin My Move, Miss Alacrity.

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Super Stock Headlines Asmussen Brigade For Zia Park’s Land Of Enchantment Card

Hall of Famer and North American Thoroughbred racing's all-time leading trainer Steve Asmussen and three-time Eclipse Award winner as the country's outstanding jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., will be well represented at Zia Park on its Tuesday, Nov. 23 Land of Enchantment stakes card. The duo sends out horses in six of the seven stake races, including the odds-on morning line favorite in three of them.

First post for the 10-race card will be 12:00 PM Mountain Time.

Headlining the $250,000 Zia Park Derby is Grade 1 winner Super Stock, winner of the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn in April. Super Stock finished 16th in this year's Kentucky Derby and will be making his twelfth straight start in stakes company. Last out, the son of Dialed In checked in third in the Oklahoma Derby (G3) on Sept. 26. Super Stock is the 1-5 morning line favorite in the field of five 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles.

Asmussen also sends out heavy favorites Casual (3-5 morning line) in the $75,000 Zia Park Distaff at six furlongs and multiple stakes winner Tenfold (8-5 morning line) in the $75,000 Zia Park Championship at a mile and one-eighth.

Assmussen will also saddle graded stakes winner Pauline's Pearl (9-5 morning line) in the $200,000 Zia Park Oaks at one mile and one-sixteenth, Optionality (3-1 morning line) in the $50,000 Zia Park Princess at six furlongs and Much Better (4-1 morning line) in the $75,000 Zia Park Sprint at six furlongs.

Ortiz, Jr., who took home his three Eclipse Awards in 2018, 2019 and 2020 is currently 2021's leading jockey in North America by wins and will have the mount on all of Asmussen's entrants in his debut at Zia Park.

Asmussen is seeking his first win in both the Zia Park Derby and the Zia Park Oaks.

A contingent from two California based trainers will be formidable in several of the stake events. Peter Miller sends out the morning line favorite Aquitania Arrival in the $50,000 Juvenile, A Paycheque Smile in the Princess and None Above The Law in the Derby. Top California rider and Kentucky Derby winning jockey Flavien Prat is named to ride Miller's three starters. Also in from California will be Lady Mystify from the barn of Peter Eurton. The winner of the Remington Park Oaks (G3) in her last start has been tabbed as the 6-5 morning line favorite with Prat in the irons.

Local hopes in the Zia Park Oaks may rest with the 3-year-old filly Slammed, trained by Zia's leading trainer in 2021 Todd Fincher. Slammed will go into the gate on Tuesday with a resume that includes 6 wins from 7 lifetime starts but has remained in New Mexico-bred events until now. Her last win was an emphatic score in the one-mile New Mexico Cup Championship versus older females on October 31.

2019 Zia Park Derby winner Mr. Money Bags makes his return to Zia Park in the Sprint. Mr. Money Bags has been in the money in 19 of 22 lifetime starts earning over $529,000.

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