Irad Ortiz | Horse Racing Free Tips

Dynamic One Upsets the Curlin

Dynamic One earned his black-type badge with an upset of previously undefeated and heavily favored First Captain in the Curlin S. at Saratoga Friday, one of two local preps for the Aug. 28 GI Runhappy Travers S. Trailing the field early as longshot Snow House (Twirling Candy) clocked an opening splits of :23.63 and :47.34 with Beren (Weigelia) pressing from his outside hip and First Captain leading the second flight in fifth. Splitting rivals four wide turning for home with the field fanned out across the track, the chestnut moved into second behind new leader Miles D in early stretch and charged past that rival in the final sixteenth to score. Miles D held second over First Captain.

“There looked to be an honest pace on paper and we just wanted to let him settle,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He actually settled back and dropped over to last. He was able to save some ground around the first turn from the seven post. I could tell down the backstretch that he was travelling really well and that Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] had a lot of horse. He said when he tested him to see where he was around the half-mile pole, he still felt like he had a lot of horse, so he waited a little longer and waited longer down the lane.”

As for a potential start in the Travers, Pletcher said, “I think he definitely showed that he is capable of stepping up and we were looking at this as a potential Travers prep and he gave us everything we could have hoped for today.”

Graduating at fourth asking with a decisive score going nine panels at Aqueduct Mar. 7, Dynamic One missed by a head to stablemate Bourbonic (Bernardini) next out in that venue's GII Wood Memorial S. Apr. 3. He failed to fire last out in the May 1 GI Kentucky Derby, finishing a well-beaten 18th.

Dynamic One is the 20th black-type winner for his sire Union Rags and the 130th stakes victor out of a daughter of Smart Strike. The winner's dam Beat the Drums is a daughter of champion Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat), who in turn is out of MGISW My Flag (Easy Goer). This is also the family of recent graded winners Performer (Speightstown) and Jouster (Noble Mission {GB}). Beat the Drums is also responsible for the unraced juvenile colt Videri (Honor Code) and a 2021 colt by Ghostzapper. She was bred back to Street Sense.

Friday, Saratoga
CURLIN S., $120,000, Saratoga, 7-30, (C), 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:49.36, gd.
1–DYNAMIC ONE, 118, c, 3, by Union Rags
                1st Dam: Beat the Drums, by Smart Strike
                2nd Dam: Storm Flag Flying, by Storm Cat
                3rd Dam: My Flag, by Easy Goer
($725,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Repole
Stable, Phipps Stable & St. Elias Stable; B-Phipps Stable (KY);
T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $66,000. Lifetime Record:
GSP, 7-2-2-0, $260,120.
2–Miles D, 118, c, 3, Curlin–Sound the Trumpets, by Bernardini.
($470,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Peter M. Brant & Robert V.
LaPenta; B-River Bend Farm (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $24,000.
3–First Captain, 124, c, 3, Curlin–America, by A.P. Indy.
($1,500,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). 'TDN Rising Star' O-West Point
Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm LLC, Bobby Flay & Woodford
Racing, LLC; B-B. Flay Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Claude R.
McGaughey III. $14,400.
Margins: 1 3/4, 7, 1 1/4. Odds: 3.25, 8.20, 1.35.
\Also Ran: Harvard, Snow House, Collaborate, Beren.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG

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Jockeys-Versus-Horsemen Charity Basketball Game Returns To Saratoga On Sept. 1

The 13th annual jockeys-versus-horsemen charity basketball game, which benefits the programs of the New York Race Track Chaplaincy, will be played Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at the Saratoga Springs Recreation Center at 6:30 p.m.

The game, which was not able to be played last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is one of the most popular events on the Saratoga social calendar and it routinely attracts more than 300 fans. Admission is free.

The jockey team will again be coached by Hall of Fame jockey Ángel Cordero Jr., with trainer Todd Pletcher and agent Kiaran McLaughlin coaching the horsemen team. Mitch Levites of the NYRA television department will serve as the announcer and provide lively commentary.

Proceeds from this event serve to benefit signature programs of the NY Race Track Chaplaincy.

“We are delighted to be able to play the game this year,” said Humberto Chavez, the New York Chaplaincy lead chaplain and executive director. “This is a cherished tradition, and everyone really missed it last year. The funds go to support the backstretch community and Saratogians are great supporters of those who take care of the horses behind the scenes.”

Fans will be able to participate in raffles and one lucky fan will leave with a custom, autographed bobblehead of champion jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

The NY Race Track Chaplaincy provides the backstretch community with children's enrichment, social service, and recreational programs, as well as educational opportunities, and non-denominational religious services.

Horsemen, individuals, or organizations who would like to sponsor the game may do so via the NY Chaplaincy website at www.rtcany.org or by contacting Eleanor Poppe at info@rtcany.org or 516-428-5267.

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Caravel Captures the Caress

Caravel (Mizzen Mast) carried the colors of her breeder, trainer and now co-owner Elizabeth Merryman to six victories in her eight previous starts. Irad Ortiz climbed aboard Caravel sporting the silks of her new part-owner Bobby Flay for this Saratoga debut and she took her career to the next level with a decisive score in the GIII Caress S. Saturday.

Backed to even-money favoritism off a pair of stakes wins, Caravel was away well from her rail draw and settled to track from third off pacesetting New York native Robin Sparkles (Elusive Quality), who zipped through a :21.64 first quarter. Robin Sparkles turned for home in front with Jakarta (Bustin Stones)–who was only running for purse money–just off her flank and Caravel ranging up in the three path. Caravel found another gear in mid-stretch, powering past the leader to win going away. In Good Spirits (Ghostzapper) rallied late to be second and Robin Sparkles held third.

“The whole turn, she was on the bridle waiting for the time to go,” Ortiz said. “I wanted to make sure to go around the horses like she did last time at Monmouth [winning the Goldwood June 25]. I was able to get in the clear and as soon as I asked, she gave me a really good kick–a good turn-of-foot.”

“I don't know if she's improved, but I think people understand how she needs to be ridden, and the trip is better now,” Merryman said. “I said to [Irad Ortiz, Jr.] just be as quiet as you can leaving the gate because the least twitch of the reins and she's going. It's pretty amazing. You watch Saratoga and just think it's the place to be. To come up here with a filly like that, it's amazing.”

With Flay now the majority owner, Caravel will be transferred to Graham Motion following this victory.

“He's watched her train pretty much every day. He's just been so nice and classy and sweet about her,” Merryman said of Motion. “Bobby Flay now owns a majority interest in her and we made a plan when he was interested in buying to make that change. That was something I was in agreement with from the time of the sale of the majority of her. Graham is in the next barn to me at Fair Hill [in Maryland]. It'll all be good.”

She continued, “Hopefully, the goal is the [GI] Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and Graham has so much experience going that route. It seemed like a really smart thing to do from my perspective as well. Not that I don't think I could handle it, but with the change in the ownership, Graham has a system that works great and he's been through all that.”

Opening her account with a trio of victories, including the Lady Erie S. last summer, Caravel checked in third in that Pimlico's Hilltop S. in October and returned to winning ways in the state-bred Malvern Rose S. back at Presque Isle Oct. 22. Third in Belmont's License Fee S. Apr. 30, the PA-bred rallied to victory in The Very One S. in Baltimore May 14 and romped in Monmouth's Goldwood S. June 25.

Pedigree Notes:

Caravel is the 24th graded winner for Mizzen Mast and one of 61 black-type scorers by that Juddmonte sire. The winner is the first foal out of Zeezee Zoomzoom, a daughter of SW & MGSP Zee Zee (Exchange Rate). Her 3-year-old filly Tipsy Chatter (Bourbon Courage) broke her maiden earlier this year for Merryman. The 9-year-old mare is also responsible for an unraced juvenile gelding named Witty (Great Notion), a yearling colt by Holy Boss and a 2021 colt by Great Notion. Zeezee Zoomzoom was bred back to Street Boss.

Saturday, Saratoga
CARESS S.-GIII, $200,000, Saratoga, 7-24, 4yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.38, fm.
1–CARAVEL, 122, f, 4, by Mizzen Mast
                1st Dam: Zeezee Zoomzoom, by Congrats
                2nd Dam: Zee Zee, by Exchange Rate
                3rd Dam: Emblem of Hope, by Dynaformer
   1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($330,000 RNA 3yo '20 WANOCT).
O-Bobby Flay & Elizabeth M. Merryman; B/T-Elizabeth M.
Merryman (PA); J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $110,000. Lifetime Record:
9-7-0-2, $367,872. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–In Good Spirits, 118, f, 4, Ghostzapper–Mon Arch Lass, by
Arch. ($200,000 Ylg '18 FTSAUG). O-Bal Mar Equine, LLC;
B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Albert M.
Stall, Jr. $40,000.
3–Robin Sparkles, 120, f, 4, Elusive Quality–My Sparky, by
Dehere. ($30,000 Ylg '18 SARAUG). O-Michael Schrader;
B-Hibiscus Stables (NY); T-Bruce R. Brown. $24,000.
Margins: 2HF, HF, 3/4. Odds: 1.00, 9.00, 1.30.
Also Ran: Tass, Flower Point, Jakarta. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Kitten’s Joy Firster Gets Brown Off The Schneid at the Spa

6th-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 7-17, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.57, gd, 3/4 length.
PORTFOLIO COMPANY (c, 2, Kitten's Joy–Iteration, by Wild Again) snapped a 10-starter, 2 1/2-day 'skid' for the Chad Brown barn to get the job done at first asking. The $125,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase graduate jumped alertly and wanted to overrace passing under the line for the first time, but ultimately settled not far from a walking early pace which saw the half go up in :50.86. Always traveling with the front-runner well within his sights, Portfolio Company was roused to the front by Irad Ortiz, Jr. three-sixteenths of a mile from home and held firm late to score as the 6-5 chalk. The well-backed James Aloysius (More Than Ready) sat a midfield trip at a tactical disadvantage vis-a-vis the eventual winner, came with a wide sweep into the stretch and kept on nicely while trying to get in a time or two to miss by about three-parts of a length. Portfolio Kitten is a full-brother to Queen'splatekitten, SW-Can, MGSP-US, $387,313; and Charming Kitten, GSW & GISP-US, SP-Ire, $1,018,701. Iteration, bought back on a bid of $90,000 with this colt in utero at Keeneland November in 2018, was sold for $30,000 at KEENOV in 2019 and produced a colt last year. The mare foaled a filly from the first crop of Volatile this year and was bred back to Good Magic. Sales history: $125,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $55,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Klaravich Stables Inc; B-Kenneth L & Sarah K Ramsey (KY); T-Chad C Brown.

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