‘Upsetting And Surprising’ Call From Irad Ortiz Leaves Spun To Run Riderless For Pegasus World Cup

Spun to Run, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., wins the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Breeders’ Cup Championship Saturday at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California on November 2, 2019. Alex Evers/Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders’ Cup/CSM

Trainer Juan Carlos Guerrero suddenly has to deal with an unforeseen issue a week before the $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park. According to drf.com, the trainer got a call from Irad Ortiz, Jr. on Saturday morning that the jockey had decided to take a different mount in the race, leaving Guerrero’s trainee Spun to Run without a rider.

Ortiz took off Spun to Run in favor of trainer Bob Baffert’s Mucho Gusto. The 4-year-old impressed Baffert with a six-furlong work from the gate in 1:11.60 on Thursday, and Baffert told Santa Anita press officials on Saturday that the colt would be ready in time to run in the Pegasus.

Spun to Run, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile over likely Pegasus favorite Omaha Beach, is expected to have his final work on Monday. Guerrero has been breezing the colt without Lasix in preparation for the conditions of the Pegasus, and all had been going according to plan.

“Today (Spun to Run) trained super and I said to myself everything is perfect going into this race,” Guerrero told drf.com. “Then I get the call from Irad telling me he was going to take off Spun to Run to ride Mucho Gusto instead. Needless to say it was both upsetting and surprising since I had the call and now I’m left without a rider a week before the race.”