Ortiz rebounds with Questing
SARATOGA SPRINGS — It’s been an incredible 24-hours for jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
From a stretcher, to the hospital, to being dropped and finally to the winner’s circle as he brought home Questing to a nine-length victory in Saturday’s $600,000 Alabama Stakes.
“She’s incredible,” said the 20-year-old Ortiz, who was winning just his third career Grade I race. “I’ve never been aboard another horse like that.”
On Friday afternoon, it didn’t seem likely that Ortiz would be even in position to win the Alabama as he was thrown from his mount while loading for the start of the third race and complained of ankle pain. He was taken off the track on a stretcher and brought to Saratoga Hospital, where X-rays came back negative.
After winning the first race on Saturday aboard Cyberton, Ortiz was thrown from his mount, Mighty Lover, in the sixth race but got up after taking a f ew stumbles on the turf course.
Still, it didn’t seem likely that Ortiz would win the Alabama after Questing whistled through the first six furlongs in 1:09.74, but the 3-year-old filly kept on running, pouring it on through the lane despite racing erratically, stopping the clock in a quick 2: 01.29, the fastest Alabama since 1990 (Go for Wand).
“I was concerned when I saw 1:09 and change for three-quarters but when I looked back most of the others were riding hard so I was confident when turning for home,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.
For Questing, the victory — her second straight Grade I — put her on top of the 3-year-old division.
In June, McLaughlin was thinking about retiring the filly, but moved her to the dirt and now she’s won three in a row.
“The dirt was the main change,” he said. “Once she took to the dirt it’s been unbelievable.”
Questing returned $6.40 to win as the second choice, while favored Grace Hall tired to fifth.
Fourth-place finisher Zo Impressive was pulled up while galloping out after suffering a fracture to her right front leg. A boot was placed on the leg and she was vanned back to her stall, where further tests will be taken.
The injury is considered career-ending.
TO THE POINT: A race before, favored Point of Entry ($4.80) won his fourth straight decision, taking the Grade I Sword Dancer Invitational by four lengths. Racing in fourth behind a three-way speed duel, Point of Entry was tipped out by jockey John Velazquez at the top of the stretch and took off, easily prevailing over the late-moving Al Khali, with Brilliant Speed completing the top three.
SCAR E FOR JACKSON BEND: Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito received a scare Saturday morning when his barn star Jackson Bend was involved in a collision on the Oklahoma training track, but appeared to escape injury. The winner of last year’s Grade I Forego was going for his normal gallop preparing to defend his title on Sept. 1 when another horse collided with the 5-year-old. “Jackson (Bend) and (exercise rider) Carlos (Correa) were going on their normal gallop, and another horse came on at the gap and ran right into him,” said the Hall of Fame trainer. “I didn’t see it. Thank God I didn’t see it.” The other horse is a 7-year-old named Little Nick, who also escaped injury.
O’NEILL TO BEGIN SUSPENSION: Doug O’Neill, who trained I’ll Have Another to victories in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, starts a 40-day suspension on Sunday. O’Neill is serving the days after one of his horses had a total carbon dioxide overage in 2010. Currently, O’Neill is the leading trainer at Del Mar but he won’t be eligible to train until Sept. 28.