On first day back, Ortiz guides Dr Post to victory in Unbridled Stakes

Irad Ortiz Jr. and Dr Post both made up for lost time Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Ortiz, on his first day riding in five weeks, guided the 3-year-old Dr Post to a 1 1/2-length victory over Attachment Rate in Saturday’s $75,000 Unbridled Stakes for 3-year-olds. It was one of four victories on the card for Ortiz, the two-time reigning Eclipse Award winner, who hadn’t ridden since March 19 owing to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

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The win was the second in four weeks for Dr Post, a son of Quality Road who finished fourth in his debut last July 4 at Belmont Park and was off for nine months due to physical issues. Dr Post was impressive winning a seven-furlong maiden race at Gulfstream on March 29 and Saturday, as the even-money favorite, he successfully stretched out to 1 1/16 miles without the easiest of trips.

Down the backstretch, Dr Post raced in between Necker Island and Attachment Rate in the second flight behind Americanus, who set the pace while being hounded by Soros and Relentless Dancer. Only 2 1/2 lengths separated the compact field through the opening half-mile, run in 47.07 seconds.

Americanus, under Edgard Zayas, held off his pace challengers into the stretch, but Dr Post, who had to be hit a few times by Ortiz at the five-sixteenths pole to maintain his position, and Attachment Rate were getting closer. In deep stretch, Dr Post switched leads and began to edge away while Attachment Rate, who again didn’t switch leads, couldn’t keep up.

Attachment Rate finished second by 1 1/4 lengths over Americanus, who was third. It was 1 3/4 lengths back to Necker Island, who was followed by Relentless Dancer and Soros. South Bend was scratched to run in next Saturday’s $75,000 English Channel Stakes on turf.

Dr Post, owned by Vinnie Viola’s St. Elias Stable, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.07 and returned $4.20.

“He was in a little bit of a precarious spot, especially for a fairly inexperienced horse,” said Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Dr Post. “Considering that, it was a pretty game effort on his part. Once he finally got to the lead, he started to move away from them and pricked his ears coming to the wire. It was a good learning experience, for sure.”

Pletcher said there were always high hopes for Dr Post. Pletcher said the colt, a $400,000 yearling purchase, suffered a setback after his debut last summer and needed time off.

“There was no rush to bring him back,” Pletcher said. “We were waiting on a seven-furlong race. When everything fell into place is when he got ready. We thought a lot of him at 2, he just needed some time. He’s a big colt, very leggy, very much Quality Road. He resembles his sire a great deal. That was one of the reasons we felt being patient would pay off.”

The coronavirus has put the racing schedule in chaos, which makes it impossible to plot a campaign for a 3-year-old to potentially get to the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5.

“Hopefully, by the time we get serious in his training, we’ll have an idea as to what some of the alternatives are going to be,” Pletcher said.

Earlier on the card, Ortiz won with his first three mounts - The Mighty Judge in race 4, Basquiat in race 5, and Catharsis in race 6. Ortiz was riding for the first time since March 19. He took off thereafter, bowing to concerns from his family over the coronavirus outbreak.

“It’s great to be young, right?” Pletcher said when asked about the 27-year-old Ortiz coming back to win four of his first six mounts. “He’s a world-class rider, everybody knows that. I’m sure he’s not even 100 percent yet, and to still win four first day back shows you good he is.”