Jose Ortiz sweeps My Charmer and Rampart

Jockey Jose Ortiz used dramatically different tactics but got the same results Saturday in winning back-to-back filly-mare stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Ortiz had Mitchell Road on the lead throughout the $100,000 My Charmer on turf, then returned some 30 minutes later to win the Grade 3, $100,000 Rampart on the main track with a torrid last-to-first rally aboard Pink Sands.

The My Charmer and Rampart both were contested by fields of 10 fillies and mares. Both were run at a mile as part of an 11-race card highlighted by five straight stakes at the Hallandale Beach, Fla., track.

My Charmer

Hustled to the early lead by Ortiz from her rail post, Mitchell Road was hounded by 20-1 shot Take These Chains for much of the two-turn race before finally asserting her class, edging away in the final furlong to prevail by 1 1/2 lengths. Mitchell Road returned $2.80 as a heavy favorite after finishing in 1:34.10 over firm going.

Take These Chains held second, a neck before late-running Munchkin Money in third.

“She was tested a little bit today,” said Ortiz, “but from the 3/16 pole to the wire, she showed she was the best horse in the race.”

Bill Mott trains Mitchell Road for Maury Shields and E.J.M. McFadden Jr., two of the ownership partners in the 2019 Kentucky Derby winner, Country House. The 4-year-old daughter of English Channel was bred by the late J.V. Shields.

This was the third stakes win, and second in a graded event, for Mitchell Road, now a winner of 6 of 11 starts. She also won the Grade 3 Gallorette on the Preakness undercard in May.

Rampart

In stark contrast to the preceding race, Ortiz allowed Pink Sands to settle at the back of the pack before wheeling her out for a sensational run that nailed Cookie Dough, the 9-5 favorite, in the final jumps. The winning time for the one-turn race contested over a fast main track was 1:36.20.

Pink Sands returned $11 as the third choice. It was another 3 1/2 lengths back to Cairenn in third.

“I knew there was plenty of speed in there, so Jose did the right thing,” said Shug McGaughey, who trains Pink Sands for Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen. “The filly loves this racetrack. We got a graded stakes win in her now, so this moves her along pretty good.”

Pink Sands, a bay 4-year-old Kentucky-bred by Tapit, now has won five times from 17 starts. Her lone prior stakes win came in the Lady’s Secret this summer at Monmouth Park, also with Ortiz up.

Cookie Dough, making her first start in four months, turned back every challenge and appeared home free in deep stretch, but then Pink Sands came flying past to win by a going-away half-length.