Penjade prevails with well-timed move in Forever Together

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It was back in the summer when jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. told trainer Chad Brown that he figured out the best way to ride Penjade. It was, to sum up, a matter of timing her late kick.

Saturday, at Aqueduct, Ortiz proved to be right on time as he rallied Penjade from fifth to just get up and win the $150,000 Forever Together Stakes by a nose over a stubborn Not Taken. It was another nose back to My Impression, who finished a half-length in front of a tough-luck Elysea’s World. Bishop’s Pond, Sweet Sandy and Winter completed the order of finish.

The win was the fifth from 16 starts, but first in a stakes, for Penjade, a 4-year-old French-bred daughter of Air Chief Marshal owned by John and Jerry Amerman.

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Last year, Penjade would lay in a stalking position but could never manage to kick strong enough in the stretch and went 0 for 5 with three second-place finishes.

This year, Ortiz decided to take Penjade further back off the pace and then try to come with a run. Penjade won her first three that way, and was beaten just 1 1/4 lengths when fourth to stablemate Off Limits in the Grade 3 Athenia at Belmont last month.

On Saturday, Ortiz had Penjade in fifth position early, about five lengths behind Bishop’s Pond, who set fractions of 25.50 seconds for the quarter and 50.49 for the half-mile and 1:14.37 for six furlongs. Not Taken, under Dylan Davis, confronted Bishop’s Pond turning for home and four her way to a short lead in the stretch. My Impression, who had Elysea’s World bottled up to her inside, came with a run under Jose Ortiz and Penjade was rallying outside of My Impression.

The three fillies hit the wire together but Irad Ortiz Jr. said he was confident that he got there. He even told his brother that was the case.

“After the wire he asked me ‘Did you win?’ Irad Ortiz said. “I said 'Of course I won.’”

For Brown, it was his 22nd turf stakes victory at a New York Racing Association track in 2017. For this one, he gave credit to Ortiz.

“Irad deserves quite a bit of credit for her development, he’s figured out how to ride this horse,” Brown said. “Saratoga was the turning point where he was last, came from behind and beat a good field, and he came back and said 'Boss, I got this filly figured out.’"

Brown said Penjade would remain in training for 2018.

The frustration continued for Elysea’s World, who was effectively bottled up by Ortiz on My Impression and could not find an opening between the three horses who finished noses apart on the wire. Elysea’s World went 0 for 8 this year.

“She was full of run in the lane,” Brown said. “She’s a horse that continues to be unlucky.”