Jose Ortiz

The Belmont Park fall meet generated $9,923,813 in average daily handle from all sources, a 33.6% increase over the 2019 fall meet, the New York Racing Association announced. Despite running 10 fewer days than in 2019, all-sources handle of $267,942,961 was down just 2.5% compared with 2019. The Belmont Park fall meet has traditionally opened on the Friday following Labor Day. Due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NYRA adjusted the fall schedule by adding a one-week break following the conclusion of the summer meet at Saratoga Race...

Chad Brown earned his ninth consecutive leading trainer title at the Belmont Park Fall Meet, which concluded Sunday. Brown won 22 races during the 27-day stand. Jose Ortiz won 40 races to take the leading rider title for the first time. "I'm just happy I can go out there and do what I love the most and be successful. I work very hard for it and I'm happy to be getting good opportunities," Ortiz said. "It means a lot. Belmont is a great place to race and I think it's...

5th-Saratoga, $72,000, Msw, 8-30, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f (off turf), 1:04.07, ft. RED GHOST (f, 2, Ghostzapper--Better Than Most, by Elusive Quality) took all the tote attention at 6-5 in this off the turfer, and soon showed why. Breaking on top in typical Wesley Ward trainee fashion, she doled out splits of 21.70 and :45.08 and never looked back as she ran up the score to 8 1/2 lengths in the lane. Fort Drum (Declaration of War), a $5,500 yearling who drew in off the also-eligible list, belied 68-1 odds...

Keeneland's GI Madison S. was a battle between 'TDN Rising Stars' Guarana (Ghostzapper) and Mia Mischief (Into Mischief) from start to finish, but in the end it was Guarana who won the gutsy brawl. Favored at 1-2, Guarana went straight to the front and was hounded by Mia Mischief, who was let go at a surprising at 8-1, through early splits of :22.95 and :45.92. Mia Mischief drew even with Guarana at the top of the stretch and briefly headed her younger rival, but Guarana battled back in the final...

Therideofalifetime (Candy Ride {Arg}) built on a promising debut with a sharp wire-to-wire score early on the blockbuster Saturday card at Keeneland to become the latest 'TDN Rising Star'. Rallying to be runner-up behind the sharp Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) when unveiled June 19 at Churchill, the chestnut was backed down to 3-2 favoritism here and easily outbroke the field. Showing the way in the clear through splits of :22.45 and :46.02, Therideofalifetime faced a brief challenge to his outside from second choice Swill (Munnings) in early stretch, but made...

Making his first start since winning the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity in handsome fashion nearly eight months ago and his first since undergoing surgery to have ankle chips removed, Godolphin's Maxfield (Street Sense) finished with a flourish down the center of the Churchill Downs main track to take Saturday's GIII Matt Winn S. over a game Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic). 'TDN Rising Star' Pneumatic (Uncle Mo) was a creditable third after arguing the pace in his graded stakes debut. The victory, worth 50 points, on the road to September's GI...

Maxfield's stall sits across from Barn 42's office, where trainer Brendan Walsh can keep a close eye on his star pupil at his Keeneland base. It's been a whirlwind of an early career for the Godolphin-owned colt, but he is now primed to make his sophomore debut this Saturday in the $150,000 GIII Matt Winn S. The son of Street Sense launched his juvenile season last year by breaking his maiden on debut before going on to take the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity by over five lengths. But then three...

Gulfstream Park issued the following announcement late Thursday night:  Gulfstream Park will suspend racing for one day, Friday, March 20, to update its protocols in a number of areas, including the Jockeys' Room. Racing is scheduled to resume on Saturday, March 21. Last week, Gulfstream Park took strict measures to limit exposure by closing the facility to the public for live racing and simulcast. Gulfstream Park has operated in full compliance with all government and local health orders, while ensuring the protection of the essential personnel that care for the...

Jose Ortiz and Luca Panici will both be sidelined for several weeks. Ortiz fractured his wrist Saturday after being unseated by Atone (Into Mischief) in the post parade of race three. He climbed back aboard and rode the race, but was off his mounts the rest of the day. He will be forced to miss the call aboard Tacitus (Tapit) in the $20-million Saudi Cup Feb. 29. Panici fractured his collarbone Friday afternoon when he was thrown from Terrible Tara (Revolutionary) in race 10 after she hit the rail. He...

Chiefswood Stable homebred Edge of Fire (Curlin) was crunched into 17-10 favoritism off a morning line nearly three times that and the money proved smart indeed, as the chestnut wheeled off heels passing the midstretch marker and went on to a deceptively easy two-length debut score and 'TDN Rising Star' honors in the process. Away fairly, but given a busy ride by Jose Ortiz, Edge of Fire--who blew out three furlongs in a bullet :35 1/5 Jan. 28--was rousted along and responded to sit just behind the leading trio while...

In last year's inaugural GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. at Gulfstream Park, Chad Brown brought a single gun to the fight. In fact, it was more of a cannon. Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway) made short work of his rivals that day--winning by 2 ½ lengths--and proceeded to carve out a championship-worthy season consisting of five additional graded wins, including the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita. Looking at this season's Pegasus World Cup Turf, Brown-who is favored to add his fourth...