Jockey Ortiz takes fifth win of day as Suffused triumphs in Glens Falls
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Leading jockey Jose Ortiz capped off a memorable afternoon Saturday at Saratoga by notching his fifth victory of the day with a perfectly judged ride aboard Suffused in the $200,000 Glens Falls.
Ortiz rated Suffused, who was beaten a head by Guapaza in the Grade 3 Waya four weeks earlier, in mid-pack while saving ground for the opening 1 1/4 miles of the 11-furlong Waya. Suffused angled out for clearance entering the stretch, then finished with good energy out near the center of the course to run down Aries in the final 70 yards.
The latter chased pacesetter Photo Call through modest fractions, overtook the tiring leader a sixteenth out, but could not resist Suffused, with jockey Joel Rosario losing his whip just inside the sixteenth pole. Miss Chatelaine loomed boldly along the rail leaving the furlongs grounds, but could not kick on with the top pair at the end.
Guapaza raced within easy striking distance but lacked the same closing response she had in the Waya, finishing sixth as the tepid 5-2 choice in a field of 10 long-distance, filly and mare turf specialists.
Suffused, a Juddmonte Farm homebred by Champs Elysse, began her career in Europe before joining trainer Bill Mott’s barn earlier this season. The Grade 2 Glens Falls was her second victory in five U.S. starts. She paid $7.80 after completing the distance over a firm course in 2:13.55.
“She had a beautiful trip, Jose gave her a great ride,” Mott said. “I had a lot of confidence in her. When he produced her, she punched.”
Mott said he wouldn’t rule out the Grade 1 Flower Bowl, at Belmont Park on Oct. 8, for Suffused’s next start.
Ortiz, who all but sewed-up his first Saratoga riding title with his big day, called winning five races “pretty amazing.”
“To do it here at Saratoga, where the competition is so tough, I’m very lucky.”
As for the possibility of winning the Saratoga riding title, Ortiz simply said, “it would be a dream come true."