Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint: Ortiz to ride Lady Shipman

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Trainer Kathleen O’Connell said Irad Ortiz Jr. will replace regular rider Eduardo Nunez aboard Lady Shipman in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

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Nunez guided Lady Shipman to her first seven victories, with six of those wins coming in stakes. Ortiz rode Lady Shipman to a track-record victory at Saratoga in the Smart N Fancy Stakes on Aug. 30 after Nunez was unable to make flight connections from Florida in time to make the race. Nunez was back aboard Lady Shipman when she finished second, run down by Ageless in the final strides, as the 3-5 favorite in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 9.

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“A lot of people were blaming Eddie for her getting beat, but it was really a combination of things,” said O’Connell. “She went into the race too sharp. I had to lead her over in a lip shank, and I never had to do that in 11 previous starts, and she never did have a chance to relax during the race. It also had rained all morning, and she really didn’t care for the turf course. She’s not a filly you can hit, either; she just doesn’t like it. You’ll never see anybody knifing on her. I watched the tape 100 times because the TVG people said [Nunez] stood up before the wire. He just wasn’t pounding on her because he never does, but he didn’t stand up before the wire.”

Lady Shipman worked five furlongs in 1:03.59 over the main track Thursday with jockey Paco Lopez aboard.

“I told Paco I just wanted a nice, easy work,” said O’Connell. “He’s been a big part of the team with her all summer. I couldn’t get him for her previous work at Monmouth, and she went way too fast that morning, which is one reason why she was so sharp and on the muscle coming into the race here.”