Focus Group flies late, survives inquiry in John's Call

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Focus Group came with an impressive late run under Jose Ortiz to rally from last and run down his stablemate Call Provision to win Wednesday’s $100,000 John’s Call Stakes by a nose at Saratoga.

While Chad Brown trained both the first- and second-place finishers, he was denied another 1-2 finish in a stakes race when Call Provision was disqualified from second by the stewards and placed fourth for interfering with Patterson Cross in deep stretch. Patterson Cross lost third place by a nose to 37-1 shot Renown. Renown was placed second and Patterson Cross was elevated to third.

Junior Alvarado, the rider of Patterson Cross, claimed foul against both Irad Ortiz Jr., on Call Provision, and Jose Ortiz, on Focus Group. The stewards felt only Irad Ortiz was at fault. Though Call Provision and Focus Group had the same connections – owners William Lawrence and Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables and Brown – they were uncoupled in the wagering because of a state statute that allows for same owner/trainer entries to race uncoupled in races with purses of $50,000 or more. The stewards said had they felt Irad Ortiz Jr.’s actions were deliberate, they could have disqualified both horses.

Jimmy Edwards, the Jockey Club steward, said the stewards felt the actions were “careless, not deliberate.”

For his part, Irad Ortiz Jr. admitted to Daily Racing Form that his horse “did come out” late.

The incident in deep stretch couldn’t overshadow the impressive turn of foot displayed by Focus Group, rallying from last of nine and widest off all in the stretch behind slow fractions and over turf rated good.

“Regardless of the pace, he’s a one-run horse, he has no early speed, and Jose knows this horse so well I thought he rode a great race,” Brown said. “Over that kind of ground off those fractions for him to close that much ground I’d love to see how fast he ran the last quarter; it was very impressive.”

Jose Ortiz said Focus Group was a bit headstrong early in the race, but settled down on the backside. He followed Patterson Cross – a horse Ortiz had ridden before and “who I think is a nice horse,” he said – before swinging Focus Group wide turning for home.

Ortiz said Brown told him “you can be wide just on one turn. I tried to save ground first couple of turns as much as I could and swing to the middle of track on the last turn.”

Brown felt Call Provision was impressive as well, and he felt that horse shied from the whip, which caused him to come over and foul Patterson Cross.

Neither Brown nor Jose Ortiz was concerned that Focus Group would be disqualified.

“Jose kept his path, unfortunately Irad’s horse it looked like shied from the whip late in the stretch and came out several paths,” Brown said. “Just unfortunate.”

Focus Group, a 4-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy, covered the 1 5/8 miles in 2:43.83 and returned $10.60 to win.