Chipolata targets Sheepshead Bay after winning comeback

ELMONT, N.Y. – Chipolata, who won a second-level allowance at Aqueduct on April 11 for trainer Christophe Clement, likely will make her next start in the Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay at Belmont on May 4.

In her allowance win, Chipolata’s first start off a 5 1/2-month layoff, she rallied from last of five behind a slow pace to win by 1 1/4 lengths over the favored War Cabinet.

“I liked it very much,” Clement said. “I thought she was impressive. I thought the competition was fair, not great. She ran well, showed a good turn of foot.”

Among those Chipolata will face in the Sheepshead Bay will be Holy Helena, last year’s winner. On Wednesday, Holy Helena worked seven furlongs in 1:30 over Belmont’s training track.

Irad Ortiz to serve 3-day ban

Irad Ortiz Jr., the leading rider in the country in wins (130) and purse money won ($9.35 million) this year, will serve a three-day careless-riding suspension beginning Friday and miss opening weekend of the Belmont spring/summer meet.

The New York stewards cited Ortiz for “failure to maintain a straight course and failure to have proper clearance when coming out with your mount in the stretch” aboard Bootlegger in the third race at Aqueduct on April 18. Bootlegger interfered with Herecomesyourman, finishing second by three-quarters of a length over that horse. Bootlegger and Ortiz were disqualified from second and placed third.

The suspension was reduced from five days for Ortiz waiving his right of appeal.

Ortiz will return to race riding on May 2 at Churchill Downs, He will be at Churchill Downs on May 3 to ride Out for a Spin in the Kentucky Oaks and on May 4 to ride Improbable in the Kentucky Derby.

Mr. Buff eyes Pimlico Special

Trainer John Kimmel doesn’t know what went wrong with Mr. Buff, who ran last in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap last month at Fair Grounds. But since the horse showed no ill effects from the race or the trip, Kimmel will press on and likely point him to the Grade 3, $300,000 Pimlico Special on May 17. That race has been extended from 1 3/16 miles to 1 1/4 miles this year.

“I’m still scratching my head as to whatever happened down there in Louisiana,” Kimmel said. “It’s not the Fair Grounds, it’s the Unfair Grounds. The horse was there for a week training great. It was a weird day – nothing with any form ran any good that day. Put a line through it.”

Mr. Buff has worked twice at Belmont since the New Orleans Handicap, including a half-mile in 48.55 seconds on Wednesday over the training track under jockey Junior Alvarado.

“Junior said he felt really good,” Kimmel said.