A much-anticipated day for trainer John Ortiz and his team quickly turned to disappointment on August 3 when the stable’s star mare, a Grade 1 winner Composed was disqualified from the Test Stakes (G1) after falling in Saratoga Race Track pre-race practice ground.
“I was a little emotional,” Ortiz said. “You put in so much work and it all happens in a split second. It could be the best day of your life or it could be a very disappointing day.”
Brightwork, who races for WSS Racing, was being saddled up on Saturday when she stood up and lost her balance, falling sideways. She immediately bounced back up, but the state stewards took precautions and scratched the 3-year-old’s daughter. Work in the open air .
“The vets did the right thing,” Ortiz said. “You never know what else could have happened.”
Fortunately, Brightwork escaped the incident largely unscathed, with only a few superficial scrapes around her ankles. Ortiz reported that she was eating well and feeling healthy as of August 4.
“She’s in a great mood,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz was left disappointed on Sunday morning as he felt his mare had a good chance of winning her second top-flight title on her return from a nine-month layoff. The race was won by Ways and means whom Brightwork defeated in the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga last September.
“I was really confident. I believed she was going to do really well yesterday,” Ortiz said. “We taught her the day before and she was so happy, she looked like she was ready.”
As he tried to process the difficult moment, Ortiz was comforted by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who was scheduled to race the mare. Getting support from one of his role models was a moment that meant a lot to the young trainer.
all classes @ljlmvel comforting a sad John Ortiz as Brightwork gets A Scr from the G1 Test after getting up and falling down. She’s as beautiful as the picture. photo.twitter.com/9d2hUDR9Q2
— zoecadman (@zoecadman) August 3, 2024
“I’ve admired Johnny V since I was 8 years old,” Ortiz said. “Johnny was just a gentleman. He helped me in the paddock, he did that.”
