Inveigled and Irad Ortiz Jr. will team up again in the Holy Bull (Coglianese)
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.— Irad Ortiz Jr. has notched multiple victories in both the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) and $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) on Gulfstream Park’s Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1), but the two-time defending Championship Meet titlist will seek a breakthrough win in Saturday’s $250,000 Holy Bull (G3).
Ortiz has the return mount aboard Inveigled in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds that will headline a program with five stakes, including four graded stakes for 3-year-olds.
Jane Cibelli-trained Inveigled is rated at 12-1 on the morning-line for his meeting with Fierceness, the 3-5 morning-line-favorite who is coming off dominating victory in the Nov.4 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita, and six other 3-year-olds. Inveigled is coming off a troubled fourth-place finish in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man, the one-turn mile Curlin Florida Derby prep.
“I had a little trouble going from the three-eighths pole to the quarter pole. He’s a big horse with a long stride and I had to take a hold and wait and wait too long for his style of racing. He finished good,” Ortiz said. “I think he’ll like two turns.”
The son of Enticed, who finished 1 ½ lengths behind victorious Otello, entered the Mucho Macho Man off an impressive 4 ¾ lengths victory under Ortiz in a one-turn mile optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream.
“He ran beautiful. He won for fun. He’s still learning. He got the lead that day and the thought the race was over. He was a little green, but he has the talent,” said Ortiz, who won last season’s Fountain of Youth and Curlin Florida Derby aboard Forte.
In addition to his successes aboard Forte, Ortiz also captured the Florida Derby aboard Known Agenda in 2021 and the Fountain of Youth on Promises Fulfilled in 2016.
