Irad Ortiz Jr. Returns for the Alabama Stakes With Counting Stars Chasing Saratoga History
Irad Ortiz’s Alabama Stakes return is no longer only about a jockey coming back from injury. It has become a convergence of two pressure points at Saratoga: Ortiz trying to get back into the saddle after a painful interruption, and Counting Stars trying to complete a Grade 1 sequence achieved by only four fillies before her.
That makes Saturday’s Alabama Stakes more than another late-summer championship test. The comeback adds another chapter to Irad Ortiz Jr.’s milestone chase, while Counting Stars arrives with a chance to place herself beside Shuvee, Mom’s Command, Open Mind and Sky Beauty.
Irad Ortiz Alabama Stakes Return Comes at the Right Moment
Ortiz has not ridden since injuring his left foot during the Whitney Day card on August 8. His mount, And The Runner Is, moved toward the outside rail during the warm-up, and Ortiz’s leg struck the barrier. He was taken to Saratoga Hospital, where X-rays were negative, but swelling and soreness kept him out.
His agent, Steve Rushing, later identified August 22 as the earliest realistic return date. That timeline points directly to Alabama Day, giving Ortiz an unusually important first assignment back if he is cleared to ride Counting Stars as entered.
The timing matters because this is not a low-pressure comeback mount. Ortiz already knows the filly, has won two Grade 1 races on her at Saratoga this year, and will be expected to make decisions over 1¼ miles against rivals trying to deny her history. Fitness and timing will be tested immediately.
Counting Stars Has Turned Saratoga Into Her Championship Stage
Counting Stars entered the summer as a leading three-year-old filly, but Saratoga has changed the scale of her season. After finishing third in the Kentucky Oaks, she defeated Always a Runner in the Acorn and then beat the Kentucky Oaks winner again in the Coaching Club American Oaks.
Those victories did more than improve her résumé. They established a pattern: Counting Stars has handled different race shapes, sustained Grade 1 pressure and responded when her principal divisional rival came after her.
The Coaching Club American Oaks was especially convincing. Counting Stars won by 4¼ lengths in 1:48.98, giving trainer Mark Casse another reason to stretch her to the Alabama’s 10 furlongs. The next question is stamina, not whether she belongs at the top level.
Ten Furlongs Will Test More Than Raw Ability
The Alabama asks a different question from the races Counting Stars has already won. A mile and a quarter can expose a filly who has relied too heavily on speed, especially if the early pace becomes demanding enough to force her into a sustained run before the final turn.
That makes race shape especially important. Counting Stars has shown she can settle, track rivals and produce a strong finishing response, but the Alabama will require her to maintain that composure over the longest distance of her campaign. Efficiency could matter as much as acceleration once the field reaches the final half-mile.
Mark Casse’s job is to have her arrive with enough freshness to handle that extra ground without dulling the sharpness that made her so effective in the Acorn and Coaching Club American Oaks. The spacing between races gives the barn time to prepare, but the Alabama remains a demanding test because there is little margin for wasted energy.
A convincing performance would answer one of the biggest remaining questions about Counting Stars. She has already proved she can beat elite three-year-old fillies at Saratoga; now she must show that her form holds when the distance stretches and the historical pressure becomes impossible to ignore.
Her route into Saturday shows why the Alabama carries so much historical weight.
| Race | Date | Result | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Oaks | May 1 | 3rd | Established her against the division’s best |
| Acorn Stakes | June 5 | 1st | First Grade 1 win of the Saratoga sequence |
| Coaching Club American Oaks | July 25 | 1st | Second straight Grade 1 over the track |
| Alabama Stakes | August 22 | Target | Chance to complete a rare three-race sweep |
The sequence matters because Counting Stars has not been protected from serious competition. She moved from a major defeat into two decisive responses, which can reveal more than an unbeaten record built without comparable pressure.
Four Hall of Fame Names Define the History She Is Chasing
Only Shuvee in 1969, Mom’s Command in 1985, Open Mind in 1989 and Sky Beauty in 1993 won the Acorn, Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama in the same season. All four eventually became Hall of Famers.
An Alabama victory would not automatically put Counting Stars on the same career level. It would mean she had duplicated a specific New York accomplishment that has survived for more than three decades without another filly joining the group.
West Point Thoroughbreds, which owns Counting Stars, has framed the Alabama as a chance at that rare Saratoga sweep. The comparison raises the stakes because she is no longer chasing only another purse or Grade 1 trophy. She is chasing scarcity.
Mark Casse Has Seen This Alabama Pressure Before
Casse enters the race with useful recent experience. He won the 2025 Alabama with Nitrogen, who went on to earn championship honors, and now returns with Counting Stars as well as Measure.
That gives the barn more than one tactical possibility, but Counting Stars carries the larger historical burden. Measure finished third behind her in the Coaching Club American Oaks and gives Casse another legitimate presence in the race.
The trainer’s challenge is to avoid treating the Alabama as a ceremonial final step. Ten furlongs can expose a filly who has been dominant at nine, especially if the pace forces her to work earlier than expected.
For Ortiz, patience may matter as much as aggression. Counting Stars has shown enough speed to secure position, but the Alabama should reward the rider who preserves the most horse for the final quarter-mile.
The Injury Changes How Ortiz’s Ride Will Be Judged
Ortiz’s absence has already changed his Saratoga meet. More importantly for Saturday, he returns without the normal rhythm that comes from riding multiple races every day.
The injury timeline showed the issue was significant enough to keep him out through at least August 21 despite negative X-rays. A return on Alabama Day therefore puts attention on how comfortable he looks before and during the race, not simply on the result.
Jockeys rely on balance, lower-body strength and constant adjustment in tight quarters. A healing foot can be tested differently in a 10-furlong Grade 1 than in morning exercise. The comeback itself is part of the race.
Saturday Can Change Two Saratoga Stories at Once
The first signal will come before the gates open: whether Ortiz is fully cleared and comfortable enough to take the mount. The second will be tactical. Counting Stars must prove that her authority at nine furlongs extends to a mile and a quarter.
A victory would give Casse consecutive Alabama wins with different elite fillies, return Ortiz to center stage after his injury interruption and make Counting Stars the fifth filly to complete the Acorn–Coaching Club American Oaks–Alabama sweep.
That is why the Irad Ortiz Alabama Stakes return carries more weight than a normal comeback. The jockey is returning to a championship-level assignment, while his mount is trying to turn an excellent season into something historically uncommon. Saratoga will test both at once.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 Alabama Stakes?
The Grade 1 Alabama Stakes is scheduled for August 22 at Saratoga Race Course. The $600,000 race is contested over 1¼ miles on dirt and is restricted to three-year-old fillies.
Why is Counting Stars chasing history in the Alabama Stakes?
Counting Stars has already won the Acorn and Coaching Club American Oaks. Winning the Alabama would make her only the fifth filly to capture all three prestigious races in the same season.
Why has Irad Ortiz Jr. been out of action?
Ortiz injured his left foot during the Whitney Day card on August 8 when his leg struck the rail during a warm-up. X-rays were negative, but swelling and soreness delayed his return.
Which fillies have completed the Acorn, CCA Oaks and Alabama sweep?
Shuvee, Mom’s Command, Open Mind and Sky Beauty are the four fillies to have completed the Acorn–Coaching Club American Oaks–Alabama sweep, placing Counting Stars within reach of rare company.
Who trains Counting Stars?
Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse conditions Counting Stars. He enters the Alabama with recent success in the race after winning the 2025 edition with Nitrogen, adding another intriguing layer to Saturday’s Grade 1.