Annette Allen's Stolen Holiday surged late under jockey Junior Alvarado to win the $125,000 Suwannee River (G3).
The 73rd running of the Suwannee River, a one-mile turf event for fillies and mares, was the third of six stakes, five graded, worth $850,000 in purses on an 11-race New Year's Eve program. Stolen Holiday covered the mile in 1:34.32.
The victory for Alvarado moved him to within six wins of 2,000 for his career.
Stolen Holiday ($13.40), a 5-year-old mare trained by Shug McGaughey, was well back before unleashing a late stretch charge to defeat Lady Rockstar, with early front-runner Bay Storm holding on for third.
Stolen Holiday, bred in Kentucky by Orpendale from the Sadler's Wells mare Silk and Scarlet, improved her record to five wins in 12 lifetime starts.
Suwannee River (G3) Quotes
Winning trainer Shug McGaughey (Stolen Rocket): “That's a little bit different style for her, although she did finish [in the Sand Spring) here last year. She's usually more forwardly placed. In the first turn, I didn't know what would happen, but she finished real good.”
Winning jockey Junior Alvarado (Stolen Rocket): “She broke good. I was getting in there behind the speed horses and somebody on the rail squeezed through, pushed me out, made me clip heels and after that it was Plan C or D to come from behind. She was just much the best. She overcame all the problems. I was just a passenger to try and give her as smooth a ride as I can. Turning for home, she just gave me a beautiful kick and I knew by the eighth pole that I was going to get there.”
On being just six away from 2,000 wins: “I know it's there because they remind me every time I win a race now. I just try to do my job. I don't try to worry about it, eventually it will come. I just go race by race and try to do my best and it eventually will come.”
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