AT THE POST

DAY 21 of 57

FRIDAY’S ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE 5,500

FRIDAY’S ON-TRACK HANDLE $423,120 FRIDAY’S OFF-TRACK HANDLE $2,809,023

FRIDAY’S TOTAL HANDLE $3,232,143 TODAY’S SIMULCAST SCHEDULE Gulfstream Park, 11 a.m.; Aqueduct, 11:20 a.m.; Laurel Park, 11:30 a.m.; Tampa Bay, 11:35 a.m.; Fair Grounds, 12:30 p.m.; Santa Anita, 2:25 p.m.; Golden Gate, 2:45 p.m.; Penn National, 5:05 p.m.; Turfway Park, 5:15 p.m.; Delta Downs, 5:25 p.m.; Charles Town, 6 p.m.; Daytona Beach (greyhounds), 6:25 p.m.; Derby Lane (greyhounds), 6:30 p.m.; Sam Houston, 7:15 p.m.; Southland (greyhounds), 7:15 p.m.; Los Alamitos, 8 p.m. FRIDAY’S STARS

Jockey David Cohen and trainer Robertino Diodoro teamed up for

three races together and Diodoro won four races on the card.

Cohen and Diodoro teamed up to win the second race with It is Dejavu ($2.60, $2.40 and $2.10), covering 6 furlongs in 1:11.53; the fourth race with Powerful Thirst ($9.60, $3.20 and $2.40), covering 6 furlongs in 1:11.32; and the fifth race with Fault Line ($5.00, $2.40 and $2.20), covering 6 furlongs in 1:11.90. Diodoro won the ninth race with Industrialist ($5.00, $3.00 and $2.20), covering 6 furlongs in 1:10.48. On the season, Cohen is second to

Ricardo Santana in the jockey standings with 25 victories in 109 starts. Santana with one victory on Friday, has 27 victories in 121 starts. Diodoro is second to Steve Asmussen in the trainer standings with 14 victories in 79 starts. Asmussen has 18 in 86 starts. ORTIZ MEETS GOAL Trainer John Ortiz said his goal was to win 15 races in 2019 at Oaklawn. He may have to adjust that figure.

Ortiz scored his 10th victory of the meeting — a single-season personal best in Hot Springs — when Marvella captured Thursday’s third race under Ronald Richard. Ortiz needed only 20 racing days to surpass his previous best of nine victories, which came last year. Ortiz won eight races in his Oaklawn debut in 2017. Through Friday, Oritz has 10 victories in 32 starts.

“We’re hot right now, I’ll just tell you that,” Ortiz said Friday morning. “When you’re hot, you’ve just got to ride the wave. You take advantage when you’re doing well. You’ve got to take advantage and keep them rolling.”

Through Thursday, there had been 11 two-time winners at the meet. Two are under the care of Ortiz — Dan the Go to Man and Marvella. Dan the Go to Man became a two-time winner Feb. 24. Marvella paid $15 when breaking her maiden Feb. 8 and $38.80 following her half-length triumph Thursday.

“Nobody had her,” Ortiz said with a laugh. “I had her. Ronald is a great jockey. He fit her perfectly.”

Dan the Go to Man and Marvella are owned by Ortiz’s major clients, Arkansans William Simon (WSS Racing LLC) and Brian Moore (Hooties Racing LLC).

“I like winning for those local boys,” said Ortiz, who started his first horse in 2016. “You like winning for everybody, but those are the guys that got me started. Extremely happy with bringing those guys joy.”

Ortiz, a former assistant to Kellyn Gorder, said he has 20 horses at Oaklawn and six more at Fair Grounds. He recently added a new client, Wasabi Ventures Stables LLC, and said he has a “couple of people waiting to get in” as he plans to expand his stable.

“We’ve got some new clients waiting to claim a couple of horses,” Ortiz said. “We’re working to get a couple of 2-year-olds come in this spring.”

SURGERY FOR BRAVAZO

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Friday morning that Bravazo was to undergo surgery at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Kentucky to address a knee issue, an injury that will force the 4-year-old to miss one of the world’s biggest events.

Based this winter at Oaklawn, Bravazo was pointing for the $12 million Dubai World Cup on March 30 in the United Arab Emirates when the problem was detected after training Thursday morning, Lukas said.

“He had some gravel and garbage that they wanted to clean up,” Lukas said, adding he expects Bravazo to return to his barn by June 1.

Bred and owned by Calumet Farm, Bravazo has a 3-4-3 record from 17 lifetime starts and earnings of $2,003,528. Bravazo began an 11-race campaign last year with an allowance victory at Oaklawn. He also won the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, the $500,000 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs and finished second in the Preakness at Pimlico. Bravazo finished fourth in his 4-yearold debut, the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park.

“He had a long, hard campaign, so this might not be all bad,” Lukas said. “He’ll get a little break. He’ll be back by the first of June and that gives him a chance to have a real good summer and fall campaign.” IRISH MISCHIEF FOR HONEYBEE

Trainer Brad Cox said Irish Mischief will be considered for the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes for 3-year-old fillies March 9 following a Feb. 15 maiden victory in her two-turn debut.

Irish Mischief finished second in her Nov. 22 career debut at Churchill Downs and third in her 3-year-old debut Jan. 25 at Oaklawn. Irish Mischief broke her maiden by 6 ¼ lengths at a mile.

“Ran well,” Cox said. “She liked the added ground. Probably keep her around two turns for the time being here at Oaklawn, but she’s probably a middle-distance filly. Don’t know how far she’ll go. She galloped out well the other day.”

Cox, who trains Irish Mischief for Michael Pietrangelo, Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables LLC, said he also is looking at an allowance race.

Nominations to the 1 1/16-mile Honeybee closed Thursday. It is the final major local prep for the $500,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) on April 12. Information for this report was contributed by the Oaklawn media department

Cohen