Jose Ortiz will ride Drew’s Gold when the Grade 1 Woody Stephens runner-up starts in next Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga. Ortiz replaces Jose Gomez, who had ridden the horse to two of his four straight victories before he finished second to Arabian Lion in the Woody Stephens on June 10. “Those big races, I want to take the best shot I can and those guys ride those races all the time,” trainer and part-owner James Chapman said. “I think he’s an easy horse to ride but there’s going to be a situation as far as timing and stuff in these better races that can make a difference.” :: Visit the Saratoga Handicapping Store for Past Performances, Clocker Reports, Picks, Betting Strategies, and more. Drew’s Gold ran a dynamite race in the Woody Stephens, racing up on the pace before succumbing to Arabian Lion, who was winning his second straight stakes race. “He did everything but get his picture taken,” Chapman said. On Thursday, Ortiz climbed aboard Drew’s Gold for the first time, putting him through a half-mile work that went in 47.76 seconds. Heeding Chapman’s advice, Ortiz found a horse to follow in the work, one trained by Rudy Rodriguez who had Joel Rosario aboard. Drew’s Gold started about a dozen lengths behind the horse Suspended Campaign and was within about three at the wire. He wound up galloping by Suspended Campaign. “Jose was just sitting on him,” Chapman said. “After the wire he took off and blew by that horse not that he was trying to beat him.” Entries for the Amsterdam, the lead-in to the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens, were to be drawn Sunday. Those expected include Deer District, Gilmore, New York Thunder, and Ryvit. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.