Ortiz guides Perfect Alibi to a gutsy Spinaway Stakes win

Perfect Alibi, credited with a nice trip in winning the Adirondack (G2) earlier this summer at Saratoga, passed another test Sunday by winning the Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway Stakes. This time she more than earned it.

The daughter of Sky Mesa, under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., rallied up the rail to upset Frank’s Rockette in the feature for aspiring 2-year-old fillies.

“What a great ride by Irad,” said trainer Mark Casse. “He cut the corner. I knew going down the backside they were flying.”

The 5-1 shot steadily moved up through the turn, then engaged in a stretch duel beside Frank’s Rockette, who was away at 9-5 in the field of seven.

The bumping appeared to go both ways, with Joel Rosario, aboard Frank's Rockette, unwilling to give much room.

“I just wasn’t sure she could get through on the inside,” Casse said. “They made it tight on her.”

“I didn’t have too many options,” Ortiz Jr. said. “I saw the hole, so I went for it.”

Perfect Alibi finished up seven furlongs in 1:23.44 for her third win in four career starts. The only defeat came June 6 in Belmont Park’s Astoria by 3/4 of a length.

Purchased for $220,000, Perfect Alibi could appear next in Belmont’s Frizette (G1) or Keeneland’s Alcibiades (G1) ahead of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

“I think she’ll be better going longer,” Ortiz Jr. said.

Perfect Alibi returned $12.40 to win with Frank's Rockette second and Figure of Speech third.