The first professional mountain Yomar Ortiz Jr. He didn’t see the start, but the 17-year-old showed his training under pressure, as Eli’s promise for a second-place finish in Wednesday’s third race provided trainer Joe Sharp.
Eli’s promise jumped out of the starting gate, Ortiz left well behind six rivals as the 6th race began. Despite the start, Ortiz joined, settled his mount in the turn and finished second, 3 lengths behind the winner.
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“It was pretty crazy. Everything happened so fast,” Ortiz said.
Rather than prostrate Elis’ promise after a slow start, Ortiz allowed the goat to find a pace before moving late in the race.
“He’s just finding his rhythm,” Ortiz said. “I turned home and saw Mario (Gutierrez on Hot) coming back, and Jose (Ortiz on Heavenlyconveyance) just started, because it looked like he was moving.”
Young AGASO Ortiz is credited with encouraging them to stay prepared for the unexpected before heading to the starting gate.
“Before we even left, Jose told me he was waiting for something,” Yomar said. “(He said) When you get out there, the race will unfold in a very different way.” When I broke down, I just went to plan B, and I knew (Eli’s Promise) that I was going to come.
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Ortiz began his professional career after spending years watching his father, AGASO Yomar Orlando Ortiz, and dreaming of following in his footsteps. After attending training in Puerto Rico at the same riding school as his father (Escuela Vocacional Hípica), Ortiz continued to develop his skills with instructors in Maryland and New York before joining the Sharp stable.
Sharp with Ortiz’s riding debut were his wife, Rosie Napravnik, retired from the race – from three days to meet the leader of Keeneland – and their children. Others included owner Daisy Phipps Pulito and Anthony Hamilton, a former assistant to Hall of Fame coach Shug McGaughey who knew Ortiz from Maryland. Hamilton helped Ortiz land a job with horses inspired by McGaughey, a longtime trainer for Phipps Stables, last summer.
“I’m happy for him,” said Hamilton, now the Yearling Manager at Claiborne Farm. “He deserves everything — he’s so hard-working. I know his heart is beating about 3,000 a second right now. He’s going to do great. He’s the perfect size. He’s dedicated. He wants to do it all. He’s so committed. It’s fun to see.”
Ortiz also impressed retired jockey David Flores, who won 3,616 races in his career, drove horses at Keeneland in the mornings and was a Keeneland Guest Services employee, who he called “Green Shirts” – placed outside the jockeys’ quarters.
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“He did great in his first car,” Flor said. “Never panic. He made us all look bad. We didn’t do that on our first ride.”
Ortiz is named in two horses Thursday at Keeneland for Sharp: in second and Viking Salty in fifth moved by grace.
This story was first published by Paulick Report on the 15th of October News section Add the Paulck Report as Preferred Source by clicking here.