Tag: Annex

Junior Alvarado Bringing South Florida Momentum To New York Jockey Colony

Following a successful winter in South Florida, a determined Junior Alvarado will resume riding in New York on Friday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

After many years of staying in New York for the Big A winter meet, Alvarado, 34, instead took his tack to Gulfstream Park for their championship meet where he finished sixth in the jockey standings with 53 wins, including seven stakes scores.

“For a long time, I've waited for this opportunity and it felt like the right time, so I took advantage of it and I thought it went better than expected,” Alvarado said. “The first couple of weeks were a little slow, but that was a lot of people getting to know me and trying to figure out the track and knowing when and where to make your move. Things began picking up after that.”

Much of Alvarado's success this winter came on the turf for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. He guided Annex, a sophomore Constitution colt, to stakes scores in the Palm Beach and Cutler Bay as well as capturing the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant with White Frost, a 3-year-old Candy Ride filly.

Both Mott trainees could be contenders this summer in NYRA's lucrative Turf Triple series, implemented in 2019 as the turf equivalent of the Triple Crown, with all legs contested at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.

Alvarado also picked up Gulfstream stakes wins with Venezuelan Hug in the Grade 3 Canadian Turf for trainer Danny Gargan; Gray's Fable for Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield in the Grade 3 Kitten's Joy; and Pacific Gale in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie for John Kimmel.

Alvarado's mounts banked more than $2.3 million in earnings at the Gulfstream meet, where he boasted a record of 377-53-75-48 while finishing in the money at a 47 percent clip.

“This is the first year where I've started things off with this much success,” Alvarado said. “Coming back to New York, I've been riding a lot of good horses that I picked up down in Florida. Coming into the spring, I don't know that I've ever had this many good horses lined up, so I am very confident moving forward. It gives me a lot of confidence in the decisions I make in riding.”

Alvarado departed for Florida after a strong fall campaign in New York, notching five stakes wins during the Big A fall meet and six stakes victories during the Belmont fall meet, including Grade 1 scores aboard Dayoutoftheoffice in the Frizette and Gufo in the Belmont Derby Invitational.

On Saturday, Alvarado will have the chance to parlay his South Florida prosperity to the Empire State, with mounts in four of the five graded stakes on a lucrative card.

In the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, Alvarado will pilot Frank Fletcher Racing Operations' Candy Man Rocket, who will try to make amends after an off-the-board effort as the beaten favorite in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 6.

The Mott-trained son of Candy Ride tasted sweet victory in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs on February 6 but did not get the most favorable of runs into the first turn of the Tampa Bay Derby, where he broke awkwardly and was shuffled to mid pack in between horses.

Alvarado, in search of his first Wood Memorial win, will guide Candy Man Rocket from post 7 in a field of 9. He said the outside post in Saturday's nine-furlong event will be beneficial.

“Things just didn't go our way that day,” Alvarado said of the Tampa Bay Derby effort. “There was some bumping going into the first turn and we had to start over and go to the outside. I would draw a line through that race. We have a good post to the outside on Saturday. Hopefully, he breaks well and gets a race similar to what he did in the Sam Davis, when he was in the clear on the outside.”

The Wood Memorial offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers and a good result on Saturday would propel Candy Man Rocket, currently 32nd on the leaderboard with 10 points, into the starting gate on the first Saturday in May.

Alvarado's previous Derby mounts include Mohaymen [4th, 2016], Enticed [14th, 2018] and Tax [14th, 2019].

Alvarado's stakes lineup on Saturday incudes mounts aboard multiple Grade 1-winner Mind Control in the Grade 1, $300,000 Carter [Race 6]; Modernist in the Grade 3, $150,000 Excelsior [Race 8]; and Mia Martina in the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle [Race 9], which offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points. He will also partner Lady Sansa in her North American debut in a turf allowance in Race 7 for trainer Christophe Clement.

Alvarado formally returns to action on Thursday at the Big A, and is named to ride Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks winner Paris Lights in the Grade 3, $150,000 Distaff [Race 7]. He also is scheduled aboard Olympique [Race 1], Runabout [Race 2], and Box N Score [Race 6].

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Constitution’s Annex Remains Unbeaten in Cutler Bay

Annex took his record to three-for-three with his second straight stakes victory in Gulfstream's Cutler Bay S. Rallying to victory in his career bow over course and distance Jan. 16, the 'TDN Rising Star' captured the Palm Beach S. in Hallandale next out Feb. 27 and was favored to repeat here. Sitting a bit closer to the pace in a joint fourth, the flashy chestnut raced off the fence through a :24.06 opening quarter and :47.78 half-mile. Swung out three wide turning for home, the even-money favorite surged up alongside Fulmini and It Can Be Done in late stretch and out-boxed those foes to the wire for a narrow success.

“It's always a special to race for Mr. Mott,” said winning rider Junior Alvarado. “He lets you do what you think is right in a race. Today, there wasn't much pace on paper. He broke good. He put himself in a good spot and I wasn't going to take anything away from him. After that, I just kept picking it up little by little. He's still very green, which makes my job a little challenging, but he got it done.”

The winner's dam You Make Me Sing is a half-sister to MGISW and multi-millionaire You (You and I), who produced GSW You and I Forever (A.P. Indy) and SW & GSP Causeway's Kin (Giant's Causeway). She produced an Honor Code colt in 2019 and a filly by that sire in 2020. She was bred back to Mitole. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

CUTLER BAY S., $100,000, Gulfstream, 3-27, 3yo, 1mT, 1:34.33, fm.
1–ANNEX, 120, c, 3, by Constitution
                1st Dam: You Make Me Sing, by Unbridled's Song
                2nd Dam: Our Dani, by Homebuilder
                3rd Dam: Lovely Briar, by Briartic
($65,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-LNJ Foxwoods and Eclipse
Thoroughbred Partners; B-William Harrigan & Mike
Pietrangelo (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $60,140.
Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $144,280. 'TDN Rising Star'
2–Fulmini, 118, c, 3, Overdriven–Gina's Kitten, by Kitten's Joy.
O-Bell Racing, LLC; B-Gina D'Amato (FL); T-Carlos A. David.
$19,400.
3–It Can Be Done, 120, g, 3, Temple City–Gotham City Girl, by
Freud. O/B-Red Oak Stable (KY); T-Gregory D. Sacco. $9,700.
Margins: NK, NO, 3/4. Odds: 1.10, 29.60, 12.70.
Also Ran: Lucky Law (Ire), Hyperfocus, King of Dreams, Fighting Force, Step Dancer. Scratched: Whatmakessammyrun.

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Constitution Colt Remains Perfect in Palm Beach

Annex took his record to two-for-two with a late-closing kick to take the Palm Beach S. at Gulfstream Saturday. Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' when rallying from well back to graduate on debut going a mile here Jan. 16, he was favored at 6-5 to repeat in this black-type bow. Racing in sixth, the chestnut was well back off the pace as Arzak (Not This Time) shot out to a clear lead with about 10 lengths on his closest pursuer Hot Blooded (Declaration of War), who also had daylight on the rest of the field. Arzak zipped through swift splits of :22.38 and :44.80 with Annex and the others just biding their time. Pulled out into the clear three wide at the top of the lane, Annex unleashed a powerful turn of foot, surging clear late to secure the win over Scarlett Sky.

Annex is the 16th black-type scorer for hot young sire Constitution and the 189th black-type winner out of a daughter of Unbridled's Song. His dam You Make ME Sing is a half-sister to MGISW You (You and I), who is the dam of GSW You and I Forever (A.P. Indy). She produced an Honor Code colt in 2019 and a filly by that sire in 2020. The 10-year-old mare was bred back to Mitole. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

PALM BEACH S., $100,000, Gulfstream, 2-27, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:40.62, fm.
1–ANNEX, 118, c, 3, by Constitution
                1st Dam: You Make Me Sing, by Unbridled's Song
                2nd Dam: Our Dani, by Homebuilder
                3rd Dam: Lovely Briar, by Briartic
($65,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-LNJ
Foxwoods and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-William
Harrigan & Mike Pietrangelo (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior
Alvarado. $60,140. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $84,140.
   'TDN Rising Star'
2–Scarlett Sky, 120, c, 3, Sky Mesa–Mata Mua, by Arch.
O/B-Stuart S. Janney, III LLC (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III.
$19,400.
3–Chess's Dream, 123, c, 3, Jess's Dream–Achalaya, by Bellamy
Road. ($20,000 Ylg '19 OBSWIN; $25,000 Ylg '19 FTKJUL).
O-Dubb, Michael, Bouchey, Steven, Bethlehem Stables LLC and
Bishop, Chester A.; B-Loren Nichols (FL); T-Michael J. Maker.
$9,700.
Margins: HD, 1 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 1.30, 2.70, 7.10.
Also Ran: Fighting Force, Sigiloso, Cave Hill, Hot Blooded, Arzak.

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Eclipse Buys Into ‘Rising Star’ Annex

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners has acquired a part-interest in recent 'TDN Rising Star' Annex (Constitution) from LNJ Foxwoods, Aron Wellman, Eclipse's managing partner tweeted and then later confirmed via phone Thursday afternoon.

“We're in a fortunate position where we've got a good relationship with the Roth family, with Jaime, and I go way, way back with Alex Solis [III] and Jason Litt, their advisors,” said Wellman. “That existing relationship certainly helped to be able to open the door for the opportunity to buy into the colt.”

Sent off at debut odds of 5-1 in a one-mile Gulfstream maiden Jan. 16, Annex was given a patient ride by Junior Alvarado and hit top gear at the eighth pole, streaking home to graduate in extremely impressive fashion (video). The flashy chestnut earned a very strong 81 Beyer Speed Figure.

“It was really an eye-catching performance,” Wellman said. “I don't think it took any sort of profound opinion to get on the horn and try to see if a horse of his caliber could be added to our stable. I thought it was a very good group of colts that he ran against and the style and manner in which he was able to win the race and show such an electric turn of foot–he came home wicked fast that day, and looked like potentially he had more gears to call upon if Junior Alvarado had asked him to do so.”

He continued, “He comes from a Hall of Fame operation in Bill Mott and you know he is thinking long-term with a colt like Annex. He certainly didn't have him cranked up first time, so we'd like to think there is plenty more there. When a horse flashes that type of natural ability in a debut and especially around two turns at a major venue, those are certainly the kind of horses we want to have as part of our stable and take us to the big races on the big days. Hopefully he is capable of building on what was a very impressive unveiling.”


Eclipse is set to be represented by a pair of runners in both of this weekend's Pegasus races–Largent (Into Mischief) in the Turf and Constitution's son Independence Hall in the main event. Like many judges, Wellman is bullish on the WinStar inmate and that made Annex that much more attractive.

“He's quickly stamped himself as a blue-chip stallion with his first few crops and certainly being associated with Independence Hall helped our cause and it allows us to have some intimate appreciation for Constitution,” he said. “He's shown that he can throw elite performers. This colt is out of a mare by Unbridled's Song and out of a half-sister to the dam of [MGISW] You (You and I), so there is plenty of quality there on the bottom side as well. We hope he continues to go from strength to strength.”

With the first stage of Triple Crown nominations set to close Saturday, Wellman said that the partnership is all but assured to pay up for the series. But he added that neither would it trouble them in any small way to remain on the grass.

“Frankly we bought him with the perspective that he's proven the ability to be a superior turf horse,” he said. “If that's what he turns out to be and can race in the upper echelon of turf races in America, of which there are incredible options with the Turf Triple, et cetera, we are not afraid at all to have a good turf horse.

He added, “We just want a good horse, but obviously the temptation to try a horse with this kind of ability that's already proved he can get two turns is there. But we're not going to be in any rush. He's in phenomenal hands, the LNJ crew has managed him beautifully to posture him for future success and have taken their time with him. If the time comes when Annex earns his opportunity to test the dirt, we're not going to be afraid to do that and we'll certainly be enterprising in that regard. But we just bought him to be a good horse, if that's turf or dirt, it doesn't matter.”

Wellman also provided an update on the stable's Valiance (Tapit). A stakes winner on turf as a 3-year-old, the gray filly broke through with a 6-1 upset of the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. on the main track ahead of a gallant runner-up effort behind likely champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 7.

“After the Distaff, we decided we were going to give her some time to recover from her campaign at WinStar Farm,” Wellman explained. “She's been there since the Breeders' Cup, it's been about 70 days now, and we're just about ready to put the tack back on her and gradually get her back into a training pattern. We'll probably give her 30 or 45 days to leg up at WinStar and then she'll join [trainer] Todd [Pletcher] in Florida before heading back up to New York. We're very enthused about her trajectory. Everything about her in terms of versatility is exciting and she's really thrived, even since the Breeders' Cup. She's really turning into a physical specimen and an imposing mare. We've conservatively managed her with the belief that she could turn into an elite filly and thankfully that came to fruition and we're certainly looking forward to another high-class campaign beginning in late spring or early second part of the year.”

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