Junior Alvarado | Horse Racing Free Tips

Ocala Dream Improves In Spectacular Bid

Ocala Dream had the distinction of improving his Beyer Speed Figures in each of his first four career starts. The continual improvement extended to his stakes debut on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, Ny., as the Effinex colt took command at the top of the stretch and outkicked 5-2 favorite Step Dancer to post a one-length score in the $150,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series Spectacular Bid for eligible state-sired 3-year-olds going seven furlongs on the Widener turf course.

Ocala Dream, owned by Thomas Albrecht, Vincent Fusaro, and James Klein, broke his maiden at fourth asking last out, topping Bar Fourteen by 1 1/2 lengths in a 1 1/16-mile turf contest over firm going at Belmont.

Trainer Tom Morley said before the race he was looking to use this contest as a springboard to the $150,000 NYSSS Cab Calloway going one mile on the turf July 28 at Saratoga Race Course.

But Morley saw his charge garner more than just a positive experience. Ocala Dream, under jockey Junior Alvarado, tracked in fourth position as Dreamer's Disease led the 11-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in :22.82 and the half in :45.61 over firm going.

Alvarado had plenty of horse out of the turn, surging to the front in overtaking the tiring pacesetter from the outside. Barrage challenged in the final furlong and Step Dancer made an even stronger later bid, but Ocala Dream pressed on to complete the course in 1:21.20.

“It's always a big edge when you have a horse who breaks out of the gate very good,” Alvarado said. “It helps you to get the position you want. He broke alertly and put himself in a good spot, I just had to guide him turning for home. Once I got him in the clear, he knew what to do after that. I kept after him just a little bit to get the job done. He wasn't the favorite but he was much the best today.

“I was very pleased with the way he won last time and even though we were going a little shorter this time, I didn't have a problem with it,” Alvarado added. “I thought he would have a stronger kick shortening up in distance.”

Following a nine-month break, Ocala Dream made his 3-year-old debut with a third-place finish in a one-mile maiden special weight at Belmont, running third going one mile on April 23. After winning at 1 1/16-mile last out, Ocala Dream cut back to a turf sprint for the first time in his career but aced the test, with the 3-1 selection returning $8.40 on a $2 win wager.

“We thought this distance might have been a little on the short side for him, but he broke better his last race and broke relatively well in this race,” Albrecht said. “Coming around the turn, it looked like Junior had a lot of horse. He galloped out all the way to the backstretch. We were really pleased.”

Ocala Dream, bred in New York by Mahwinney Liberman, Beglin, and Coutsodontis, more than doubled his career earnings to $137,600.

“He had a very nice trip from Junior,” said Juan Bernardini, assistant to Morley. “This horse has been improving and with each race is getting better and better. He has so much class.”

Step Dancer, trained by Barclay Tagg and ridden by Dylan Davis, bested Barrage by a half-length for second.

“I think we were a little compromised with the seven-eighths going in, and then on top of that the outside post was tough,” Davis said. “He's a very nice horse. I did the best I could with saving ground and I was happy with where I was at in the two-path. I was able to find a seam in between. Seven-eighths is just a little on the short side for him. He's a very nice horse and when he stretches out again, he's going to be very tough.”

Devious Mo finished fourth, with It's Gravy, Dancing Buck, The King Cheek, Hold the Salsa, Jacks American Pie, Market Alert, and Dreamer's Disease completing the order of finish.

Thunderbird Cafe scratched, as did main-track only entrants Sinful Dancer and Gods Will. King Moonracer was scratched at the starting gate.

The Spectacular Bid is named for the 1982 Hall of Fame inductee who won the 1979 Kentucky Derby and Preakness, tallying 26 wins in his 30 career starts. He was named the 1980 Horse of the Year after going 9-for-9 in his 4-year-old campaign.

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Longshot Exacta In Jaipur Highlight Of Successful Belmont Day For Hall Of Famer Mott

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott saddled a pair of longshot chances in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Jackpocket Jaipur and ended up completing a personal exacta when Casa Creed [10-1] posted a two-length score over stablemate Chewing Gum [28-1] in the six-furlong inner turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up on Belmont Stakes day at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Owned by LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable, the 5-year-old son of Jimmy Creed registered a career-best 105 Beyer for his first win since capturing the one-mile Grade 2 Hall of Fame in August 2019 at Saratoga.

While Saturday's victory came with a “Win and You're In” berth to the five-furlong Grade 1, $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Del Mar, Mott said the distance is likely too short for Casa Creed, who may have found a new niche after winning the seven-furlong Elusive Quality in April on the Belmont green after a long string of races at one mile or greater.

“We'd been looking for some races that would be appropriate, he's not necessarily the greatest miler, I suppose,” said Mott. “We've known he doesn't want to get over a mile.

“He ran the seven-eighths here and ran good,” added Mott regarding the Elusive Quality score. “We'd meant to try him in shorter races in the past but it didn't work out for one reason or another, but it worked out yesterday.”

Mott said he was pleased with the condition of the turf for the Jaipur, which was rated as 'good' despite a deluge of rain on Friday that led to a yielding turf on Day Two of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in which the Mott-trained Harvey's Lil Goil finished an even fifth in the 10-furlong Grade 2, $750,000 New York.

Over a drying-out course in the Jaipur, Bound for Nowhere rattled off swift splits of 22.06 and 44.65 to the half-mile, setting up Casa Creed for a sharp closing kick, stopping the click in 1:08.04.

“Given the New York handicap the day before, I thought they might go three-quarters in 11 or 12,” said Mott. “The course held up really well. They weren't kicking up anything. I'll give the NYRA turf man a pat on the back for that. It was in good shape and handled the water well.”

Mott said he has no immediate target for Casa Creed.

“Maybe we'll have a chance to shorten him up to 5 ½,” he offered.

Junior Alvarado, who engineered the winning Jaipur trip, was at the Mott barn Sunday morning and expressed his joy at seeing Casa Creed break through at the top flight.

“He's been right there knocking on the door for a Grade 1 and finally he got it,” said Alvarado.

The veteran rider said it was good to hear the roar of the crowd on Saturday with 11,238 fans in attendance.

“It makes it more exciting,” said Alvarado. “We're competitive athletes and to have the fans there screaming and yelling, it definitely gets you more excited. We needed that yesterday.”

Wachtel Stable, Pantofel Stable and Jerold Zaro's Chewing Gum rallied from last-of-9 to complete the exacta. The 6-year-old multiple graded-stakes placed son of Candy Ride earned a personal-best 99 Beyer.

“He ran a super race, take nothing away from him,” said Mott. “For me, he's the same [as Casa Creed]; a mile stretches him a little bit and five and a half [furlongs] is a little bit sharp – he's coming, it's amazing what they can do in that last sixteenth.”

The Mott-trained exacta returned $335.50 for a $2 wager.

Mott said the Estate of Harvey A. Clarke and Paul Braverman's multiple graded-stakes winner Harvey's Lil Goil, winner of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup in October at Keeneland, didn't handle the yielding turf on Friday.

Michael Shanley's Nova Rags, runner-up in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Peter Pan in May at Belmont, turned back to seven-furlongs and finished third behind winner Drain the Clock and runner-up Jackie's Warrior in Saturday's Grade 1 Woody Stephens.

“Grade 1 placed and got a check,” said Mott, with a grin. “He wasn't good enough yesterday, but we took our shot. We knew they'd go fast and hoped they would back up more than they did, but they didn't. They kept going, two good horses.”

Juddmonte Farms homebred Obligatory, a sophomore daughter of Curlin, closed five-wide down the lane to finish second, by a half-length, to Search Results in Saturday's Grade 1 Acorn.

Dayoutoftheoffice posted moderate splits of 23.50, 47.23 and 1:11 in the one-turn mile before giving way to the Kentucky Oaks-runner-up, who got the jump on Obligatory.

“She ran well; no pace,” said Mott. “It was a pace-less race. Didn't suit her, but she still ran good. Take nothing away from the winner.”

Mott indicated Obligatory, winner of the Grade 2 Eight Belles in April at Churchill Downs, would target the seven-furlong Grade 1 Longines Test for sophomore fillies on August 7 at Saratoga.

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Bill Mott Goes 1-2 In Grade 1 Jaipur With Casa Creed, Chewing Gum

Trainer Bill Mott came away from the Grade 1 Jaipur smiling as his runners Casa Creed and Chewing Gum closed from far back to run 1-2 in the Breeders' Cup Win and You're In for the Turf Sprint. Both Mott trainees lingered at the back of the pack in the early going of the six-furlong contest on Belmont Park's inner turf course. Junior Alvarado guided Casa Creed ahead of his stablemate and began a casual move at the end of the backstretch, creeping up past rivals on the turn.

Bound For Nowhere, Gregorian Chant, and Fast Boat guided the field for the early going, with Bound For Nowhere looking like he was going to hang on for the wire. At the eighth mile pole, Alvarado and Casa Creed still had a lot of work to do but put on a burst of late speed to catch early leader Bound for Nowhere. Casa Creed came flying in the center of the course for a decisive margin at the wire. Chewing Gum was second, Bound for Nowhere third and Stubbins fourth.

The final time for the six furlongs was 1:08.04.

Casa Creed is now undefeated from two career starts under one mile for owners LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable. His previous credits include a win in the Elusive Quality last out and a victory in the G2 Hall of Fame stakes in 2019.

Casa Creed is a 5-year-old son of Jimmy Creed and Bellamy Road mare Achalaya. He was bred in Kentucky by Silver Springs Stud. Casa Creed was a $15,000 yearling purchase at the OBS Winter Mixed Sale, where he was consigned by Janie Roper and purchased by Amalio Ruiz-Lozano. He was then sold to LRE at Keeneland September for $105,000, where he was consigned by Kelli Mitchell.

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Front-Running Get Smokin Takes Seek Again Foes Wire To Wire

Entering the $100,000 Seek Again for 4-year-olds and up going one mile on Belmont Park's Widener turf course, trainer Tom Bush said he was optimistic Get Smokin would benefit from a more compact schedule between starts. The ability to get in a rhythm paid off, as the Get Stormy gelding led the eight-horse field through every point of call and held off 9-5 favorite Flavius to post a three-quarters of a length score on Saturday at the Elmont, N.Y., track.

Get Smokin, who won the Grade 3 Tampa Bay going 1 1/16 miles on the Tampa Bay Downs turf on February 6, ran eighth after a nearly two-month respite in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile on April 9 at Keeneland. Bush said Get Smokin can better demonstrate his ability when wheeling back in just five or six weeks, and the schedule adjustment resulted in his second win in three starts of his 4-year-old campaign.

Get Smokin broke sharp under jockey Junior Alvarado, leading the field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.25 seconds and the half in a moderate 48.61 over the firm turf as the Chad Brown-trained Flavius pressured the pacesetter from the second position.

Out of the turn, Alvarado kept his charge alert, maintaining the edge as Flavius made a stretch-drive bid from the outside. But Get Smokin did not wilt under pressure, finishing strong to the wire in a final time of 1:33.96.

“He's very quick,” Alvarado said. “If anyone else wants the lead, they have to work very hard. He broke sharp today again, which makes my job easy. I just had to nurse him along. Turning for home, I knew I had plenty of horse left and he gave me that nice kick that he has.

“You can never get too excited until you cross the wire first, but I was very happy with the pace I was going with him,” he added. “He was traveling comfortable enough that I knew he'd have a kick at the end.”

Bush, who also trained Get Stormy to nine stakes wins from 2009-'12, said the pace scenario set up well for Get Smokin.

“He's dangerous on the front end, that's for sure,” Bush said. “When they're loping along like that and they aren't using themselves too much, you're always happy to see that. I knew they'd be laying a little closer, too, since we were the only speed, but they couldn't get by him. It was a terrific effort.”

Owned by Mary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust, Get Smokin won for the third time in four career Belmont starts, going 2-for-2 in stakes at the Elmont-based track after winning the Grade 2 Hill Prince in October. Bred in Kentucky by Hurstland Farm and James Greene, Jr., Get Smokin improved to 4-3-2 in 14 career starts and increased his career earnings to $376,040.

“Junior was saying after the race that he would love for this horse to have a target and just lay second or third, but he's so good leaving the gate that you can't take the gate away from him,” Bush said. “This is what we were looking for today. That's the class of the horse. He didn't get discouraged and that's what good horses do.”

Off at 9-2, Get Smokin returned $10.80 on a $2 win wager in the Seek Again's inaugural edition. Bush said the effort could set him up for a start in the Grade 3, $250,00 Poker going one mile on June 20 at Belmont.

Flavius, a close fourth last out in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita, was making just the second start of his 6-year-old year after ending 2020 with a second in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap in November at Del Mar. Flavius edged the Tom Morley-trained Tell Your Daddy by a nose for second on Saturday.

“It was a fun race because the two best horses fought all the way from the beginning to the finish,” said Flavius' Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano. “There was no pace in the race and he [Get Smokin] had pace and went pretty slow. With no pace and the winner being able to go 24 and 48, that probably cost us the race.”

Fellow Brown trainee Delaware finished fourth, with Grade 1-winner Decorated Invader running fifth. Tiberius Mercurius, Olympic Runner and Epic Dreamer completed the order of finish.

Main track-only entrants Danny California and Yankee Division were scratched.

Live racing continues Sunday with a nine-race card and a 1 p.m. Eastern first post.

Starting on May 1, Belmont Park re-opened to a limited number of spectators. All admission must be purchased in advance at nyra.com/belmont/tickets/.

For comprehensive information on health and safety protocols in effect for the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/visit/plan-your-visit.

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