Ratajkowski holds off Mr. Orb to take Critical Eye

ELMONT, N.Y. - Ratajkowski continues to be a model of consistency in the New York-bred filly and mare division.

Returning from a 203-day layoff, Ratajkowski was hustled to the front by jockey Jose Ortiz, put away a pace challenge from even-money favorite More Mischief, and held off a late run from Mrs. Orb to win the $125,000 Critical Eye Stakes by a neck at Belmont Park. Mrs. Orb finished second by 3 1/4 lengths over More Mischief.

The Great Johanna finished fourth followed by No Hayne No Gayne. English Soul was pulled up by Joel Rosario after bearing out badly around the far turn. She was walked off the track by her handlers.

The win was the fourth straight versus New York-breds for Ratajkowski, named for the model Emily Ratajkowski.

Last October, Ratajkowski won the $250,000 Empire Distaff here by a head. She ended her 5-year-old campaign with a loss in the Grade 2 Falls City at Churchill Downs.

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Trained by Brian Lynch last year, Ratajkowsi was making her first start for Graham Motion on Thursday. Though Motion thought he had her ready to run, she was coming back from a 203-day layoff and ran quick early fractions - 22.64 seconds for the quarter, 45.10 for a half-mile, and 1:09.09 for six furlongs.

“I was concerned, I’m always concerned,” Motion said from Maryland after he saw the swift pace. “Jose told me he’d be on the lead so I didn’t question it. It looked to me like she didn’t break so sharp.”

Ortiz, who was aboard for all four of Ratajkowski’s previous wins, said he thought the race was between his filly and More Mischief, ridden by Manny Franco.

“I don’t know if Manny’s filly wants to go that [far] and I knew if I set a good, fast, comfortable pace she couldn’t keep up with my filly,” Ortiz said. “But I wasn’t counting on Mrs. Orb flying late.”

Ortiz said Ratajkowski “grinded it out that last sixteenth of a mile. It wasn’t like I had a ton of horse,” he added.

Ratajkowski, a 6-year-old daughter of Drosselmeyer, covered the mile in 1:35.05 and returned $4.70 to win as the second choice.

The win was one of four on the card for Ortiz, who moved into second-place in the jockey standings, one win behind his brother Irad, who is serving out a suspension Thursday and Friday.