Latest news with #JuniorAlvarado
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Spiced Up Rallies Late To Take Saratoga's Mahony
Spiced Up Rallies Late To Take Saratoga's Mahony originally appeared on Paulick Report. Juddmonte's Kentucky homebred Spiced Up made his stakes debut a winning one with a fiery late turn-of-foot under Junior Alvarado in Sunday's $175,000 Mahony (G3), a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for sophomores at Saratoga Race Course. Trained by Bill Mott, the son of Quality Road entered from a third-out graduation sprinting six furlongs versus elders on June 20 at Belmont at the Big A where he made his turf debut off a seven-month layoff, improving from two off-the-board efforts on dirt at Churchill Downs to start his career last year. "We were thinking about that last year,' Mott said of trying the turf. 'Most of the babies, I went through a stage last year where I wanted to try everything on the dirt. We got a couple races on the dirt and then we had to stop on him -- forced to stop on him, to give him a little time and the decision was made to bring him back on the turf this year. He's halfway bred for it." Ortley Avenue was away sharpest of all under Eric Cancel, and dashed to the front with Gabaldon close behind through the opening quarter-mile in 21.15 seconds on the firm turf while Spiced Up was near the rear of field, which became more spread out as they entered the turn. Alvarado said he was surprised to be as far back as he was early on after utilizing a prominent trip last out. "Ideally, I thought I'd be sitting third or fourth,' Alvarado said. 'I was a little shocked that even though I got out of there [the gate] good and sent the horse a little bit [for] a good sixteenth of a mile, I was still very far back. That's the way the race kind of set up and it worked out today." Gabaldon tried to stick his head in front at the top of the lane with Ortley Avenue tiring, but post-time favorite Governor Sam got the jump with a three-wide move and took a half-length lead at the stretch call. Alvarado angled Spiced Up to the outside and commenced his rally, briefly appearing ready to split No Evidence and the wide-running Ancient World before deciding to go widest of all. The Irad Ortiz Jr.-piloted Governor Sam was still the one to catch as the half-mile elapsed in 43.71, but Spiced Up was rolling with the superior momentum to his outside and swept past in the final yards to claim the 1 1/4-length victory in a final time of 1:01.22. Governor Sam held second by a half-length over the oncoming No Evidence with Innovator, Gabaldon, Ancient World, Ortley Avenue and Jet Sweep Joe, who was steadied at the start, completing the order of finish. Saturday Flirt was scratched. Alvarado, who was aboard for the second time in the afternoon, said he was impressed by the colt's late foot. 'When I hit the five-sixteenths pole, I thought that I could feel the horses coming back to me, and my horse was picking it up at that time. I knew I had a good chance, so I had to make sure to tip out all the way to the clear to give him a clear run, and he finished up very strong,' Alvarado said. Mott said Kentucky-bred Spiced Up has proven to be more effective on the lawn. "Visually, for me, he finished good [on turf] where on the dirt he was showing a lot of speed, and he wasn't finishing,' Mott explained. 'Going six furlongs on the dirt, at the eighth pole he was kind of folding it up. But, if they like the grass, it will carry them." Mott added Spiced Up could be heading to Kentucky Downs next, with the September 6 card offering $2 million [$1-million KTDF] options in the 6 1/2-furlong Franklin-Simpson (G1) and the one-mile Gun Runner (L). "The plan is to go to Kentucky Downs. The reason we jumped over a condition race is to see if we could get him eligible to go to Kentucky Downs -- there's a $2 million race,' Mott said. Ortiz said the George Weaver-trained Governor Sam, who entered from a win in the Quick Call (G3) presented by Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation on July 13 at Saratoga, was simply second-best. "I got a good trip, honestly. That horse just ran me down. I think my horse ran his race,' Ortiz, Jr. said. 'Last time he sat off and he ran great. Everything worked out beautiful today. Just no excuse.' Spiced Up is out of the winning Pioneerof the Nile mare Cardamon, who is a half-sister to Emollient, a dual-surface Grade 1 winner, as well as Grade 1-placed Hofburg. All three half-siblings were also trained by Mott. Cardamon is also a full-sister to Calm Water, dam of Group 1-winning multimillionaire Laurel River. Spiced Up banked $96,250 in victory while returning $11 on a $2 win ticket. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'We Don't Have To Be In A Hurry': Shug McGaughey Weighs Options For Fort Washington
'We Don't Have To Be In A Hurry': Shug McGaughey Weighs Options For Fort Washington originally appeared on Paulick Report. With his win in Saturday's $1-million Arlington Million (G1) at Colonial Downs, Fort Washington has plenty of options for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey and owner Magic Cap Stables. The 6-year-old War Front dark bay had won multiple Grade 3s, but never a top-level event having only made one prior attempt. On Saturday, Fort Washington traveled in last-of-7 early under Junior Alvarado and tipped out wide to rally to a half-length victory over Grand Sonata, completing the 1 1/4 miles on firm turf in 1:59.58. Stablemate Integration was a 1 1/4-length third. 'He seems to have come out of it fine. He got back here [to Saratoga] early this morning, both of them did,' said McGaughey. 'I thought he ran a great race. I had been watching the races all day and it looked like it was speed-favoring and he was back, but Junior rode a great race. He saved ground and when it was time to tip him out, he was able to run the horse on the lead down. 'I thought Integration, maybe the turf was a little firm for him. I'll give him a little bit of a break and bring him back in the fall at Aqueduct or something,' McGaughey added. McGaughey said Fort Washington, who improved to 3-for-5 on the year, has a variety of potential next races, including the $1.25-million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) on October 4 at Keeneland and the Red Smith (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack, which Integration won last year and is annually held in November. 'Keeneland should be an option, but you know they have the Red Smith at Aqueduct, so we'll have options,' said McGaughey. 'For now, we got done what we wanted to get done, we don't have to be in a hurry.' Of trying to get to the Breeders' Cup in November at Del Mar, McGaughey said, 'That's a little ambitious, but we'll kind of see. I mean, it is a nice thought, but it might be a little ambitious.' McGaughey confirmed Integration also exited in good order, but will get a break after a hard-knocking annual campaign that has featured four placings in five Grade 1 starts. 'Same thing, he came back here, but I think he needs a bit of a break. I haven't talked to [jockey] Johnny Velazquez yet, but he thought the turf was just a little firm for him,' McGaughey said. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sovereignty's thrilling comeback wins the Jim Dandy at Saratoga
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes champion Sovereignty rallied after losing position heading into the final turn to win the $500,000 Jim Dandy by a length at Saratoga on Saturday. Ridden by Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty ran nine furlongs in 1:49.52 and paid $3 to win as the 1-2 favorite against four rivals, the smallest field of his career. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said Sovereignty would be pointed toward the $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 23 at the upstate New York track. Approaching the turn, there were a few tense moments as it appeared Sovereignty was retreating when losing position to the advancing Baeza and deep closers Sandman and Hill Road, leaving Sovereignty in last for a few strides. Alvarado said he never had a doubt that Sovereignty would come up with his expected run. 'It was everybody else moving and at that time I was just like, 'Alright let me now kind of start picking it up,'' Alvarado said. 'I had 100% confidence. I knew what I had underneath me." Baeza, third to Sovereignty in both the Derby and Belmont, finished second. Hill Road was another 9 1/4 lengths back in third. Mo Plex was fourth and Sandman fifth. ___ AP horse racing:
Washington Post
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Sovereignty's thrilling comeback wins the Jim Dandy at Saratoga
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes champion Sovereignty rallied after losing position heading into the final turn to win the $500,000 Jim Dandy by a length at Saratoga on Saturday. Ridden by Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty ran nine furlongs in 1:49.52 and paid $3 to win as the 1-2 favorite against four rivals, the smallest field of his career.
Associated Press
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Sovereignty's thrilling comeback wins the Jim Dandy at Saratoga
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes champion Sovereignty rallied after losing position heading into the final turn to win the $500,000 Jim Dandy by a length at Saratoga on Saturday. Ridden by Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty ran nine furlongs in 1:49.52 and paid $3 to win as the 1-2 favorite against four rivals, the smallest field of his career. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said Sovereignty would be pointed toward the $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 23 at the upstate New York track. Approaching the turn, there were a few tense moments as it appeared Sovereignty was retreating when losing position to the advancing Baeza and deep closers Sandman and Hill Road, leaving Sovereignty in last for a few strides. Alvarado said he never had a doubt that Sovereignty would come up with his expected run. 'It was everybody else moving and at that time I was just like, 'Alright let me now kind of start picking it up,'' Alvarado said. 'I had 100% confidence. I knew what I had underneath me.' Baeza, third to Sovereignty in both the Derby and Belmont, finished second. Hill Road was another 9 1/4 lengths back in third. Mo Plex was fourth and Sandman fifth. ___ AP horse racing:
