Hot-riding Irad Ortiz Jr. teams up with Kikilove in allowance

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who won four races here on Saturday and three on Sunday, appears to have a good chance to add to his meet leading win total when he climbs aboard Kikilove in Wednesday’s $54,000 allowance feature. The race is for 3 year-old Florida-bred fillies going seven furlongs on the main track.

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Trained by Rohan Crichton, Kikilove is the only multiple winner among the seven horses entered in the headliner. She captured a maiden race by 3 1/4 lengths in her 2-year-old finale and a $50,000 starter-allowance test going seven panels by 4 3/4 lengths when racing on Lasix for the first time in her 3-year-old debut. Kikilove, a daughter of The Big Beast, earned a career-best 67 Beyer Speed Figure for her most recent performance. She is also the only member of the field with a win at seven furlongs.

Kikilove, who has proven she can win on the lead or from off the pace, will break from the rail and figures to be forwardly placed early along with two other last-out winners, The Mrs and Girvin Girl. The Mrs captured a maiden special weight dash going six furlongs on Jan. 15 in her third start. Girvin Girl won her career debut by four lengths, also at six furlongs, for trainer Barry Croft. Both fillies will be moving from open to statebred company on Wednesday.

Guardian Angel owns the highest Beyer Figure of the group, a 71 for her runaway maiden win with Florida-breds in her most recent start. She completes a well-matched lineup that also includes the stakes-placed Esoteric, Sherlyn Go Go, and Flakes.

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