Doc Sullivan tracks pace, then pushes past to take Alex M. Robb
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Doc Sullivan continued his and trainer John Ortiz’s fabulous Aqueduct fall meet with a one-length victory in Friday’s $121,250 Alex M. Robb Stakes for New York-breds.
Moving into second after the opening half-mile, Doc Sullivan, ridden for the first time by Ricardo Santana Jr., ran by the pacesetting Quick to Accuse in the final sixteenth to win the Robb one year after losing this race by a nose to Bank Frenzy, who finished third on Friday.
Doc Sullivan added the Robb to a 5 1/2-length victory in the Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Series in November. Doc Sullivan also won the John Morrissey Stakes in July at Saratoga.
Doc Sullivan gave Ortiz his seventh win from 13 starts at the Aqueduct fall meet, the number of wins tying him for fifth in the trainer standings with three cards remaining in the season.
Ortiz has horses in New York this time of year in large part due to owner Glen Lostritto and his family’s TriStar Farm. Lostritto took over management of the stable when his father Joe passed away in June.
Having success in New York is meaningful to Ortiz because he grew up in Elmont, near Belmont Park.
“I used to sneak out of my last period of class, jump the fence at Belmont and watch a couple of races,” said Ortiz, who has his brother Daniel overseeing his New York string while John is primarily based at Oaklawn Park. “My family raised me here in the New York circuit and instilled in me the love of the horse in New York so it’s very meaningful for me to be here.”
So meaningful, that Ortiz cut short a Florida visit with family on Christmas Day to fly to New York Thursday night and be at Aqueduct for the Robb.
Though Bank Frenzy opened up at 1-9 - there appeared to be a $20,000 first-flash wager on him - Doc Sullivan was sent off the 3-5 favorite by post time.
Santana noted that he had worked Doc Sullivan several times but Joel Rosario had ridden the colt in his last five starts. Santana knew that Doc Sullivan would be comfortable sitting behind horses and after breaking a half-step slow, Santana rushed Doc Sullivan into contention and he was a joint second, inside of Share the Ludt, both sitting behind Quick to Accuse.
After Quick to Accuse ran a half-mile in 47.17 seconds, Doc Sullivan moved into second. Santana gradually guided Doc Sullivan to Quick to Accuse, ultimately passing that one inside the sixteenth pole to get his seventh victory in 20 career starts. Doc Sullivan has now earned $762,950.
Quick to Accuse, who set the pace under Julio Hernandez, held second by 5 1/4 lengths over Bank Frenzy. Locke and Key was fourth followed by Share the Ludt. The Wine Steward and General Banker scratched.
Doc Sullivan, a 4-year-old son of Solomini, covered the mile in 1:37.23 and returned $3.46.
“This horse is so classy, I breezed him so many times and every time we breezed him behind [horses] you can tell he knows when it’s time to go,” said Santana, who won two races on Friday’s card. “You guys could tell today I let [Quick to Accuse] go, I sat behind him and at the three-eighths . . . I got out and as soon as I got out you could tell he was taking me right there to the lead and he was much the best today.”
Ortiz said Doc Sullivan would definitely run in 2026, with races such as the $135,000 Say Florida Sandy on Feb. 14, the $150,000 Stymie on Feb. 28, and the $135,000 Haynesfield on March 29 among races for which he would be eligible.
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