Todd Pletcher | Horse Racing Free Tips

Jose Ortiz And Linda Rice Top Belmont Spring/Summer Standings

After a close battle with his brother through the final days of the 40-day spring/summer meet at Belmont Park, jockey Jose Ortiz secured the leading riding title on Sunday at the Belmont oval, finishing the meet just one win ahead with 59 total victories.

Ortiz celebrated his 12th overall meet riding title. He was also the leading rider on the NYRA circuit in 2016, 2020 and 2021.

Ortiz closed out the meet with a record of 246-59-44-38 and total purse earnings of $4,921,926, putting him at a win rate of 23.98 percent and in-the-money percentage of 57.32.

“It was very fun–it's great,” said Ortiz, who also won the 2021 Belmont spring/summer title with 59 wins. “I work very hard in the mornings and I receive good opportunities from the owners and trainers and I'm very thankful for that.”

Ortiz added he is looking forward to carrying his good form into the upcoming 40-day Saratoga Race Course summer meet.

“I think it's great to have momentum to go up there. He [Irad Ortiz, Jr.] is going to head there as the favorite, we all know.” “But I'm going to try to beat him again,” Ortiz said, with a laugh.

Trainer Linda Rice paced all other trainers at the meet to land her fourth consecutive training title at a NYRA track and the second of her career at Belmont. She secured the title with 34 wins.

“It's exciting–it's a lot of fun to win a Belmont title,” said Rice. “We had a good winter at Aqueduct and usually the spring meet gets a little stronger, and we managed to win that. We had no thoughts we would win the spring meet here, so I'm delighted.”

Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables won their 22nd owners' title at a NYRA track for a meet that saw them earn 11 victories.

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Army Mule Firster Scores at Belmont

5th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 7-9, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:05.64, ft, 3 lengths.
HAUL (c, 2, Army Mule–Western Kitty, by Western Fame), installed the 6-5 choice first up for trainer Todd Pletcher, was sent in pursuit of Ridgewood Runner (Klimt), who three down an opening quarter in :22.85. Pulling on even terms with the pacesetter passing the quarter pole, the bay forged to a clear advantage and proved best late to hold Ridgewood Runner safe by three lengths. Devil's Playground (Into Mischief) was a distant third. The victory marked the third win on the afternoon by Irad Ortiz Jr. Western Kitty produced a colt by American Freedom in 2022 followed by a filly by Straight Fire this season. This represents the family of Horse of the Year Tiznow. Sales history: $260,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV
O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and St. Elias Stable; B-KMN Racing, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

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Saturday’s Belmont Winners Look Forward To Saratoga

Trainer Todd Pletcher appears to be in a good spot heading into the upcoming Saratoga Race Course meet after enjoying graded-stakes success Saturday at Belmont Park with both Far Bridge (English Channel) and 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit).

LSU Stables' Far Bridge earned his first graded stakes triumph in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational. Pletcher said following the race that the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational August 5 would be, “a logical next target.”

Whisper Hill Farm's Charge It is a likely candidate for the GI Whitney S. the same day following a 4 3/4-length victory in the GII Suburban S. which garnered a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

Pletcher's Belmont-based assistant Byron Hughes reported that both horses exited their winning performances in good order.

“Both looked great this morning. They ate up last night and were walking around with a purpose this morning. They're both happy with themselves,” Hughes said.

Charge It's triumph also garnered a sense of pride from Todd Quast, the general manager of Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm.

“He ran big. We never felt like he had a problem with distance by watching him train in the morning, but he has to do it in the afternoon,” Quast said. “He can be just a little bit quirky. The talent and raw ability are both there, and he can do it in the afternoons. When he puts it all together, it's an amazing performance.”

Quast pointed out that, like Charge It, 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline also is by Tapit and out of an Indian Charlie mare.

“We'll have to see how Flightline does,” Quast said. “I'm not saying we're Flightline at all, but I think about how well received he is in the breeding shed and how good of a racehorse he was. If Charge It were to win the Whitney and then come back and be lucky enough to win the Breeders' Cup, he should be well received in the breeding shed when he does go.”

Irish shipper Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) who captured Saturday's GI Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational at Belmont Park, is also headed to Saratoga.

The 10-furlong test for sophomore fillies is the first leg of the Fasig-Tipton Fillies Turf Triple series, which is followed by the GIII Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational August 4 at Saratoga Race Course and concludes with the GIII Fasig-Tipton Jockey Club Oaks Invitational September 16.

“Mark Enright who came over with the filly is going to stay, and I think she'll go into Jack Sisterson's barn,” said Craig Bernick, breeder and co-owner. “But I think Mark will continue to take care of her and ride her [in the mornings]. Fozzy will stay involved, but I think she'll go into Jack's barn. We'll look at the Saratoga Oaks and we'll consider the Del Mar Oaks also. She'll go to Saratoga sometime this week.”

“My own inkling is that I'm not sure if Del Mar would suit her, but I wasn't on her back yesterday,” trainer James Stack added. “One thing that played to her strengths yesterday was stepping up in trip. Grade I's are important to fillies–the Saratoga race is worth more–if she was a gelding, we wouldn't be having this conversation!”

Trainer Melanie Giddings celebrated the first stakes win of her career Saturday with August Dawn Farm's Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic), who was named for her trainer during her tenure as an assistant trainer to the filly's original conditioner Jeremiah Englehart.

The New York-bred notched the second graded coup of her career in Saturday's GIII Victory Ride S. at Belmont and Giddings said Maple Leaf Mel returned to Saratoga Race Course Sunday morning where she will make her preparations towards an intended start in the GI TestS. on August 5 at the Spa.

“She is here and happy to be eating and to be back,” said Giddings. “The Test is the plan. She'll have a few days off like everybody after their race and we'll see how she comes out of it. We'll make sure she's happy and good and her energy is good and go from there. She's a high-energy horse, so it takes quite a bit to knock her down. She looks pretty bright-eyed this morning.”

“It's really special. When you have a horse like that and she's already won four, you just want perfection for her all the time,” Giddings added. “I expected her to run the way she did. She just thrives on running. She's the kind of horse anyone loves to have and when you're taking her over, she's going to give 110 percent.”

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Far Bridge Prevails In Belmont Derby As Visitor Hits NY Traffic

'TDN Rising Star' Far Bridge (c, 3, English Channel–Fitpitcher, by Kitten's Joy) was the beneficiary of a clean trip beneath Jose Ortiz, took command in upper stretch and finished off nicely to take Saturday's GI Belmont Derby on Long Island. Less fortunate was King Power Racing's G2 Dante S. hero The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), whose passage more resembled a rush-hour trip on the adjacent Cross Island Parkway, but he flew home to remarkably grab second on the line from pacesetting longshot Mondego (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).

Supplanted late at the top of the market by the European invader, Far Bridge was off without incident and settled in the latter third of the field as longshot Mondego set the pace in advance of Godolphin's Silver Knott (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), beaten a nose into second in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Worse than midfield at the midway stage and now down inside, Far Bridge was niggled along three furlongs out and pinched ground with no stone in his path at the hedge. Railing through inside of Mendelssohns March (Mendelssohn) into the stretch, Far Bridge was angled out a furlong and a half from home and kicked on gamely for the victory. The Foxes, dispatched as the 2-1 favorite, hesitated at the start and raced with only Webslinger (Constitution) behind through the opening exchanges. He raced more or less in the company of Far Bridge passing the half-mile pole, but found himself in a bit tight inside of GII Pennine Ridge S. hero Kalik (Collected) approaching the lane and was forced to wait a fraction or two longer than Oisin Murphy might have preferred. The Foxes sailed home and skimmed the rail late to finish a highly unlucky runner-up.

“We got a fortunate trip today,” said winning trainer Todd Pletcher. “Everything worked out. We were able to save some ground pretty much around both turns, especially the far turn. We knew he had a good closing kick, we just needed to be in position to deliver it. I really liked the way he was moving around the turn and then when he got clear in the stretch, I knew he'd keep coming. We always felt like the added distance was going to be to his advantage.”

Before hot-footing it to nearby JFK Airport to board a flight bound for France to ride Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in Sunday's G1 Prix Jean Prat, The Foxes's jockey Oisin Murphy lamented: “He stood to jump and was a little slow away. I followed the winner but I wanted to sit closer in the run. The winner got first run on me as we turned into the straight and The Foxes picked up brilliantly, but I'd have loved to have been more forward in the run.”

Far Bridge made the first two starts of his career for his breeder and Christophe Clement, flying home to narrowly defeat Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) before impressively adding a Mar. 11 allowance to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors. Carl Spackler had earned the same designation a few weeks prior. LSU Stables acquired Far Bridge privately following the allowance and the bay rallied up the inside but was outfinished by Webslinger in the GII American Turf May 6. He was exiting fast-finishing second in the Pennine Ridge.

Pedigree Notes:

Far Bridge becomes the 69th worldwide stakes winner, 36th graded winner and 14th Grade I winner for the much-missed English Channel, winner of the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic over this course in 2006 and 2007. He is the 39th SW, 14th GSW and fifth GISW out of a mare by the late Kitten's Joy, a number that includes Channel Cat (English Channel) and dual Chilean G1SW Lukka (Chi), by Smart Strike's champion son Lookin At Lucky. Far Bridge is the last live produce listed for his dam.

Saturday, Belmont Park
BELMONT DERBY INVITATIONAL S.-GI, $750,000, Belmont, 7-8, 3yo, 1 1/4mT, 2:01.75, fm.
1–FAR BRIDGE, 122, c, 3, by English Channel
                1st Dam: Fitpitcher, by Kitten's Joy
                2nd Dam: Teenage Temper, by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Pleasant Temper, by Storm Cat
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. 'TDN Rising Star' O-LSU Stables; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $412,500. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $629,700. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–The Foxes (Ire), 122, c, 3, Churchill (Ire)–Tanaghum (GB), by Darshaan (GB). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (440,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co. Ltd.; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. $150,000.
3–Mondego (GB), 122, c, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Free Rein (GB), by Dansili (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (230,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Cheyenne Stable LLC; B-Car Colston Hall Stud (GB); T-Christophe Clement. $90,000.
Margins: 1, NO, HF. Odds: 3.35, 2.15, 41.50.
Also Ran: Webslinger, Silver Knott (GB), Mendelssohns March, Redistricting (GB), Kalik, Wizard of Westwood, Cyber Ninja, Boppy O.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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