Litfin's review: A wet opener

Thursday, May 1 review

OPENING DAY RAIN-OUT

After several inches of rain on Wednesday, all three scheduled turf races including the featured $100,000 Elusive Quality Stakes were switched to the main track.

Big Sandy, as the mammoth main track is known, had dried sufficiently to be harrowed by first post. It was muddy for the first three races, upgraded to good for races 4 thru 6, and fast (still with moisture) thereafter.

The surface produced a mix of winning running styles from all paths.

INTEGRITY RINGS TRUE

There were 11 scratches out of the Elusive Quality alone, whittling the field to four. Integrity (8th, $3.70), one of three entered for dirt only, capitalized on the situation. The 4-year-old colt by Hard Spun stayed perfect in three starts this season, all for Chad Brown, turning back Tenango after a race-long battle despite drifting while clear late beneath Javier Castelllano.

BIG DAY FOR ORTIZ BROTHERS

Irad and Jose Ortiz will become only the third pair of siblings to compete against each other in the Kentucky Derby, joining Eddie and Sam Maple (1984) and Chris and Gregg McCarron (1976). At ages 21 and 20, respectively, they will also be the youngest to do so.

Jose Ortiz, who rides Wood Memorial runner-up Samraat at Churchill Downs, is fresh off his first riding title, having bested his brother, a two-time inner-track champ at Aqueduct’s spring meet. Jose got off to a hot start at Belmont with a three-bagger, bringing in Mei Ling ($9.10) in the meet opener, followed by Belle Gallantey (3rd, $6.70) and Jackson N Lorimer (4th, $5.60).

“The Derby has always been my dream,” he said. “And now it’s coming true.”

Irad Ortiz, who pilots Uncle Sigh in Louisville, posted a hard-fought win on Divine Child (7th, $12.60).

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Rudy Rodriguez celebrated his 42nd birthday with the aforementioned Belle Gallantey, who, with Irad Ortiz, outdueled Antipathy (Jose Ortiz) in an optional-claiming route with second-level allowance conditions.

Belle Gallantey won just once in 2013, and was claimed for $35,000 from her 14th and final start of season. She is 3 for 3 for R-Rod, with $116,400 in earnings this year as a 5-year-old.

HORSE TO WATCH

JIMMY CONNORS
Trainer: Kelly Breen
Last race: May 1, 6th
Finish: 2nd by 3/4
Beyer: 78

Racing with a “goggle off” second time back from a layoff, he was always forwardly placed while three wide and finished gamely while edged by the rail-skimming winner in a first-level allowance sprint; earned second consecutive Beyer Figure top.