Irad Ortiz Jr. is set to ride South African Grade 1 winner Bless My Stars in the Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park next Saturday.

The Team Valor-owned filly, trained by Todd Pletcher, will make only her second start in America after an impressive showing in the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes at Gulfstream late last year. The draws for the big day were finalized yesterday, and she drew post position 11.

Irad Ortiz Jr., currently the leading jockey at the Gulfstream Park meet with 53 winners, immediately requested the ride after her last performance. In that race, she broke from post 12, was slow out of the gate, but finished strongly, beaten by just two lengths.

Ortiz Jr. said of her, “She is a push-button ride,” describing her as a "classy" horse. “When I asked her to fire, she gave me a great feel.”

Team Valor's Barry Irwin praised the filly as “a very elegant and powerful horse that moves better on turf than dirt. Even though she excels on turf, she does things so effortlessly, with no wasted movement.”

Ortiz Jr. concluded after her last run, “I want to ride her back next time.”

The Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational and its accompanying features are the highlight of Gulfstream Park's Championship Meet.