Brown and Ortiz's California weekend off to good start as Orglandes rallies to Red Carpet victory

DEL MAR, Calif. – Chad Brown sent a number of horses to Del Mar for stakes racing this week, and named Irad Ortiz Jr. on many of them. The defending Eclipse Award winners got off to a promising start on Thursday, when their first runner, Orglandes, rallied strongly in the closing sixteenth to get up in time in the Grade 3, $100,000 Red Carpet Handicap for older females.

Orglandes ($4.20), the favorite, had to survive a stewards’ inquiry into some bumping in deep stretch, but the stewards ruled unanimously to let the result stand.

Orglandes enjoyed the 1 3/8 miles. She had won twice at 1 1/2 miles or longer in her native France last year before a 54-week layoff. In her two starts for Brown, both in second-level allowance races, she was third going 1 1/16 miles at Monmouth and then first going 1 1/8 miles at Belmont Park.

“We thought she’d be better with the distance,” Ortiz said. “A mile and an eighth, had to work. She’s a little lazy, didn’t get her stride.”

The extra distance Thursday helped. Orglandes was sixth or seventh in the 10-horse field the first half of the race as Aunt Lubie set off for the lead, with Going to Vegas closest. The field began to tighten heading around the far turn, as Orglandes and others got closer.

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Aunt Lubie tired entering the lane, but Going to Vegas went on with it as several runners took aim at her. Orglandes was behind Going to Vegas coming past the furlong grounds, and Going to Vegas wasn’t keeping a straight line. Ortiz moved Orglandes to the right, and they brushed Blame Debbie before surging late to get up and win by a half-length.

Going to Vegas held second, one length in front of Quick, with Colonial Creed fourth and Blame Debbie fifth.

The stewards put up the inquiry sign and debated for several minutes before ruling to let the result stand.

“I followed the 5 horse,” Ortiz said, referring to Going to Vegas. “She drifted out a little bit.”

Ortiz said “there was a little contact, nothing really bad” with Blame Debbie, and that Orglandes responded to the whip when Ortiz was able to use it after getting clear.

Orglandes covered 11 furlongs on firm turf in 2:15.85.

Orglandes, 4, has now won four times in 10 starts. The daughter of Le Havre is owned by a partnership that includes Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Wonder Stables.