Ortiz lowers sights trying to build Joyful Cadence's confidence

Joyful Cadence had been tabbed for stakes action this weekend at Oaklawn Park, but her connections ultimately decided to go down a more conservative path and she will lead the track’s conditioned allowance feature on Friday.

The six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, has a purse of $100,000. The field of nine includes Kaboom Baby, a stakes-placed runner coming off the best race of her career, and Well Spent, a four-time winner facing some less experienced rivals.

Joyful Cadence has placed in a pair of stakes in her six-race career. She finished third by a head in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness last May at Pimlico and second in the Purple Martin in April at Oaklawn. She’s a daughter of Runhappy and a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Country Grammer.

“We were eyeballing the stakes race, the American Beauty, that was our plan,” said trainer John A. Ortiz. “We know the filly is stakes level.

“I’m a big believer in confidence-building and the allowance was the day before and we entered.”

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Ortiz said the opportunity to secure the riding services of Reylu Gutierrez for the allowance sealed the decision to remain in the overnight ranks. Gutierrez was aboard Joyful Cadence in her last start when she ran third in a Dec. 31 conditioned allowance sprint at Oaklawn in her first race since June.

“I want to build her confidence,” Ortiz said. “We know she can compete at a high level. She’s only won one race. It’s time for her to finish first.”

Joyful Cadence was a memorable maiden special weight winner last season at Oaklawn, when she won a six-furlong race in a sharp 1:09.95. The Beyer Speed Figure of 83 that she earned is the second-best career number in the feature Friday.

“We love her attitude,” said Ortiz, who trains Joyful Cadence for WSS Racing. “She walks around like she’s the boss. She’s a very bright charge in the barn. She’s lovely to be around in the stall. When she’s outside of the stall, she means business. She’s always got the hotwalkers on high alert.”

Joyful Cadence will break from post 9 on Friday.

“She’s sharp from the gate,” Ortiz said. “She’s tactical. She’s very push-button.”

Kaboom Baby stepped outside the Arkansas-bred ranks for the first time in her career last out, finishing second in the same allowance Joyful Cadence exits. Kaboom Baby was beaten just a half-length after a troubled start left her closing from 13 lengths back. She can be closer to the pace Friday when she starts from post 5 under Luis Quinonez.

Last year, Kaboom Baby was third in the $100,000 Rainbow Miss at Oaklawn. Ernie Witt II trains the daughter of Hightail for her breeder, Tracy Selby.

Well Spent finished fourth in the same allowance as Kaboom Baby and Joyful Cadence. She’s been a popular claim among horsemen, as she’s been haltered in three of her last five starts. Trainer Robertino Diodoro has given the mount to David Cohen.