Brightwork

Brightwork won at first asking during the 2023 spring Keeneland Race Course meet, taking a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race by three lengths. The Outwork filly next tried stakes company at Ellis Park in July, and set the pace in the six-furlong Debutante Stakes before rebuffing a late challenge and winning by a half-length.

Trainer John Ortiz then shipped Brightwork to Saratoga Race Course for the Aug. 6 Grade 3 Adirondack Stakes held at 6 ½ furlongs. Sent off at odds of 5.10-1 in a well-matched contest, the filly stalked the pace through the far turn, took over in early stretch with strong urging from Irad Ortiz, and powered clear to an impressive five-length win, improving to 3-for-3 in her career.

Brightwork was brought back for an even tougher assignment on Sept. 3, the final Sunday of the Saratoga meet, when she started in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes. Sent off as the 3-1 second betting choice behind odds-on favorite Ways and Means, she stalked the early pace while clipping heels with that rival and then made a bid to take the lead coming out of the far turn. Brightwork got the jump on Ways and Means and defeated her by a half-length, extending her winning streak to four without a defeat.

Brightwork is out of the unraced Malibu Moon mare Clarendon Fancy, who is full sibling to another unraced mare that has produced four graded stakes winners, led by $3.5-million earner Midnight Bourbon and $1.6-million earner and sire Girvin.