Ortiz Brothers Seek Aqueduct and Keeneland Triumphs

By The Ortiz Brothers and Emily Shields

New York is where Irad Ortiz, Jr. got his start in the United States, and the top rider will be there Saturday to ride at Aqueduct which hosts three stakes on a nine-race card. Over at Keeneland in Kentucky, brother Jose will be up on Zulu Alpha in Keeneland’s Dixiana Elkhorn.

Two of the three stakes Saturday in New York are for state-bred runners. “I love New York-bred stakes action,” Irad said.

The first division of the $200,000 New York Stallion Stakes (Race 8) is a 6 ½ furlong contest for sophomore fillies. Irad will ride #6 Kid Is Frosty for Brad Cox; the daughter of Frost Giant broke her maiden two back and was second in an allowance last out. “She’s doing great here at Aqueduct,” Irad said. “She broke her maiden here plus she had a couple of seconds. It’s going to be my first-time riding Kid is Frosty so I’m looking forward for a good performance. Brad Cox is a very good trainer.”

The second division, which goes as Race 9, is a $200,000 for three-year-old males. Irad rides #8 Blindwillie McTell, a son of Posse who is a two-time stakes winner already and won a prior leg of this series in December. “He’s really fast and he likes Aqueduct. He has won two stakes in just three starts. We have a perfect post position. If they let him dictate the pace, he’ll be tough to beat.”

Irad will also be aboard Clint Maroon in the Woodhaven Stakes for Todd Pletcher.

Over at Keeneland, Jose rides #10 Zulu Alpha on the outside in the $250,000 Dixiana Elkorn Stakes (G2) on the grass over 1 ½ miles. The Mike Maker-trained gelding is by Street Cry (Ire) and is unbeaten in two graded stakes races so far this year.

“He’s two for two this year in this type of distance races from 11-12 furlongs,” Jose said. “My brother (Irad) was the rider on both opportunities so I got pretty good advice from him. I don’t think post position will be a problem. It’s a long race and we’ll have plenty of time to put us in a good spot.”

And Zulu Alpha has that added plus of a graded stakes win over the track. “Zulu Alpha won last year here at Keeneland in his last start (the Grade 3 Sycamore over 1 1/2 miles),” Jose said. “He knows the track and Mike (Maker) is one of the best with horses that like to run long distances.”

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