Closing weekend at Saratoga always presents a multitude of stakes opportunities and Junior Alvarado and Jose Lezcano made the most of their jockey assignments.
With 10 stakes carded, Alvarado and Lezcano accounted for five stakes wins leading to a tie in voting for Jockey of the Week August 28 through September 4 by the panel of racing experts. The award recognizes jockeys for riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
Alvarado began closing week on Wednesday riding for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott aboard Magic Cross in the P.G. Johnson for 2-year-old fillies, which was originally scheduled for the turf but moved to the dirt. Off as the favorite in the scratched down field of four, Magic Cross broke a step slow but gained control along the inside and out dueled Takemetothebeach to post a powerful 4 1/2-length win in 1:40.15 for one mile.
On Saturday, Alvarado was honored with the Mike Venezia Memorial Award in a winner's circle ceremony. The award is presented annually by NYRA to a jockey who displays extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship that personified Venezia, who died as a result of on-track injuries in 1988.
On closing day Monday, trainer Gary Contessa gave a leg up to Alvarado aboard Nutella Fella in the Grade 1 Hopeful for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs. Breaking last in the field of 10 after acting up in the gate, Nutella Fella took advantage of a hot pace to out finish race favorite Timberlake for the win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:24.41.
On Saturday, Lezcano won his first stakes of closing weekend aboard Alva Starr for trainer Brent Brinkman in the G2 Prioress for 3-year-old fillies. Breaking from post position four in the field of five, Alva Starr pressed the pace through the opening quarter. Approaching the top of the lane, Alva Starr was confronted by race favorite Dazzling Blue but Lezcano asked his filly and she responded to post a powerful 8 3/4-length win in 1:09.14.
Also on Saturday, trainer David Donk gave a leg up to Lezcano on Thin White Duke in the Harvey Pack. Thin White Duke settled at the back of the compact field of six before wearing down the favorite Big Invasion to post a neck win in 1:02.18 for the 5 1/2-furlong sprint.
Lezcano posted his third stakes victory of the week on Monday with Pioneering Spirit for trainer Linda Rice in the Bernard Baruch. Pioneering Spirit raced within striking distance of pace setter Bring Me a Check before taking command a furlong from the finish edging clear to win by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:40.69.
Alvarado and Lezcano out polled Declan Cannon with two stakes wins at Kentucky Downs including the G3 Dueling Grounds Derby, Paco Lopez with 17 wins to lead all jockeys for the week including two stakes wins, and Flavien Prat who won the G1 Pacific Classic and the G2 Del Mar Mile.
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