Junior Alvarado | Horse Racing Free Tips

Horologist Makes Successful Return From Layoff In Top Flight Invitational

Three-time graded stakes winner Horologist recaptured her 2020 form in notching a comeback triumph in Saturday's 80th running of the $100,000 Top Flight Invitational, a nine-furlong test for older fillies and mares at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the New Jersey-bred daughter of Gemologist is owned by There's A Chance Stable, Medallion Racing, Abbondanza Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Paradise Farms Corporation and David Staudacher.

Last season, Horologist put together a successful 4-year-old campaign which earned her New Jersey Horse of the Year honors. Her accomplishments included triumphs in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park and the Grade 2 Beldame Invitational at Belmont Park, where she finished ahead of graded stakes winners Point of Honor and Dunbar Road. Horologist capped off her prosperous season in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland when ninth to Monomoy Girl.

Off the five-month respite, Horologist broke sharply from post 5 but allowed Grade 3 Comely victress Mrs. Danvers to dictate terms into the first turn. Jockey Junior Alvarado kept Horologist one path to the pacesetter's outside in second through easy opening fractions of 24.72 for the quarter-mile and 49.55 for the half-mile over the fast main track.

Around the far turn, Horologist inched her way up to even terms with Mrs. Danvers and put up a furious bid when asked. Jockey Kendrick Carmouche started getting busy aboard Mrs. Danvers, who was a persistent customer toward the inside. Just outside the eighth pole, Horologist put a nose in front and never relinquished, taking her 5-year-old debut by one length in a time of 1:52.14.

It was another neck to Sonata Stable's Lucky Stride, last-out winner of the Nellie Morse at Laurel Park, who was compromised at the start but produced a late-closing effort to complete the trifecta.

Queen Nekia, Thankful and Flashndynamite completed the order of finish.

The victory was a fifth overall stakes win for Horologist, who defeated her Garden State-bred counterparts in the 2019 Smart N Classy and Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks for former trainer John Mazza.

Returning $4.00 as the even-money favorite, Horologist upped her lifetime earnings past the three-quarter million mark to $770,439 and a record of 21-8-2-4.

The win was a third stakes triumph of the 11-day Aqueduct spring meet for Mott and Alvarado, who previously teamed up with Modernist in the Grade 3 Excelsior as well as Grade 3 Distaff Handicap winner Paris Lights who, like Horologist, also was making her first start of 2021.

“Coming off the layoff, this track is very tiring and I didn't want to be on the lead and have someone putting pressure on me the whole way,” said Alvarado, who was aboard Horologist for her Beldame Invitational triumph. “It took me a little bit to get her settled, but when she settled on the backside, I knew it was good. When she [Mrs. Danvers] came back to me, I knew we were good after that. Turning for home, I had to ask her a little bit, but it's not easy coming from a layoff on this track going a mile and an eighth. She really tried. I was pretty happy with the way she did it. She was the class of the race.”

Carmouche said Hall of Fame trainer Shug McCaughey left the ball in his court in terms of setting the pace.

“Shug said I could do either way; if I wanted the lead or if I wanted to sit off it,” Carmouche said. “I figured coming out of there, I'd see what happens. If I let Junior have the lead, it was going to be too easy, and I'd rather do it than have him do it. The filly ran well. She fought back gamely it was just a better horse beat us today.”

Bred by Holly Crest Farm, Horologist is out of the Stephen Got Even mare Cinderella Time.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card featuring the $100,000 Plenty of Grace for fillies and mares going one mile over the inner turf. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

Post-race quotes:

Adam Beschizza (winning rider of Silver Dust)
“He's a very talented animal and he's proven at this level. These small fields, I feel like he gets a hold of the race a lot easier. Today he had a nice stalking position and he had a hold of the race at the right time. He took the bull by the horns and he dug deep. Thank you very much to (owner) Mr. (Tom) Durant and (trainer) Mr. (Bret) Calhoun. I know (Calhoun has) a busy day at Oaklawn today, but this will surely lift his spirits and I just want to thank him for keeping faith in me.”

Jade Lowder (assistant to winning trainer Bret Calhoun)
“I just think he's been good lately. He's been ready to throw a race like this and Bret's done a great job with him. Five-horse field, outside trip the whole way. I think he really liked the track and liked the going.”

Javier Castellano (rider of runner-up Night Ops)
“He was closing well down the center of the track. He ran a good race and tried hard.”

Tom Drury (trainer of fourth-place finisher Sprawl)
“He ran his eyeballs out today. He really tried hard.”

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After Scratch Of Mr. Buff, Modernist Proves Best In Excelsior Stakes

Pam and Martin Wygod's Modernist pressed the pace and pounced to a 2 1/2-length victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Excelsior, a nine-furlong test for older horses at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and piloted by Junior Alvarado, the 4-year-old Uncle Mo colt prevailed as the youngest horse in a field of six veteran routers.

The complexion of the race changed when Chester and Mary Broman's New York homebred Mr. Buff, installed as the 4-5 morning line favorite, was scratched on Saturday morning after receiving treatment for colic symptoms.

“He had a little colic,” trainer John Kimmel said. “He's fine now and acting like nothing ever happened. It's nothing serious but it was unfortunate timing.”

Kimmel said the 7-year-old Mr. Buff, a 17-time winner with more than $1.3 million in purse earnings, will target the Grade 3 Westchester on May 1 at Belmont Park.

Backsideofthemoon, a 9-year-old gelding piloted by Trevor McCarthy, took command into the first turn in the Excelsior as Modernist, Limonite and Tintoretto jostled for position behind the veteran pacesetter through an opening quarter-mile in 25.54 seconds.

Modernist pressed the pace from second down the backstretch as multiple graded stakes-placed Backsideofthemoon, a veteran of 50 career starts, clung stubbornly to a diminishing lead.

The modest pace battle continued into the final turn as the tightly-packed group began to come alive with Grumps Little Tots launching an outside bid and Haikal, the 2019 Grade 3 Gotham winner, following his run.

Modernist was asked for his best late in the turn and took the lead as a rail-riding Limonite waited for racing room with Haikal looming large on the outside. Inside the final eighth, Modernist surged clear and powered through the wire in a final time of 1:54.38 on the fast main track. Haikal completed the exacta by 3 3/4-lengths over Limonite. Rounding out the order of finish were Backsideofthemoon, Grumps Little Tots and Tintoretto.

The victory marked the second graded stakes win in as many days at Aqueduct for Alvarado and Mott, who combined to win Friday Grade 3 Distaff with Paris Lights.

Alvarado said the scratch of Mr. Buff meant he would utilize a more prominent approach with Modernist.

“I knew whatever would happen at the gate, I had to be a little more aggressive and forwardly placed,” said Alvarado. “ Even though we had a slow break, I had to use him a little to put myself in that position, and I think that helped.”

Alvarado said he was confident throughout aboard Modernist, who entered the Excelsior from a second in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Challenger on March 6 at Tampa Bay Downs.

“He helped me get my position in the first turn and after that I was just a passenger,” said Alvarado. “I was just waiting to turn for home to ask him and he kicked on very nicely.

“At the quarter-pole, when I asked him to run, he picked it up so quickly that he didn't even have a chance to switch leads,” added Alvarado. “Then, I felt him running faster and I didn't want to badger him to switch leads until we passed the eighth pole. I pulled a little on my inside reins and then he switched leads and kept on. Nothing to be worried about.”

Modernist, a third-out maiden winner last January at the Big A, enjoyed a profitable sophomore season winning the Grade 2 Risen Star and finishing third in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds ahead of an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

It was the second Excelsior victory for Mott, who captured the 1991 renewal with Chief Honcho. Mott's New York-based assistant Leana Willaford said she was pleased with the confident ride.

“We told Junior, 'Don't take anything away coming easy,'” said Willaford. “I was really happy with him. He's matured both physically and mentally. I think he's going to have a good year.”

Bred in Kentucky by the Wygod Family, Modernist banked $82,500 in victory while improving his record to 9-3-1-2. He returned $5.30 for a $2 win ticket.

Live racing resumes Thursday at the Big A with an eight-race card. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Mischevious Alex Breaks Through With Grade 1 Performance In Carter Handicap

Returning to New York a little more than a year after his resounding victory in the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct Racetrack last March, Mischevious Alex became a Grade 1 winner on Saturday at the Big A, taking the $300,000 Carter Handicap with ease as the odds-on favorite under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

A compact-but-talented group of five assembled for the seven-furlong Carter, and the winner certainly delivered a Grade 1-caliber performance, rallying from off the pace to prevail by 5 ½ lengths and light up a stellar undercard for the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino.

Departing from post 4, the Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained Mischevious Alex broke well and sat in third position early as the fleet-footed Chateau went out to lead the field down the backstretch through an honest opening quarter-mile of 23.09 seconds, with Souper Stonehenge in second, multiple Grade 1-winner Mind Control in fourth, and Shoplifted at the tail of the field.

Chateau spurted away from the trailing quartet around the far turn, picking up the pace to run a half in 45.89, but Mischevious Alex and Ortiz remained patient while perched three-wide on the track. Turning for home Chateau maintained a sizable advantage, but once straightened out for the drive Mischevious Alex came with steady strides, gobbling up ground to overtake the frontrunner at the eighth pole and from there drawing off handily before being geared down nearing the wire.

“I broke so well and the other horse [Chateau] went, so there was some speed. I was in no hurry,” said Ortiz, Jr.. “I just rode him with confidence and patience. Turning for home, I changed leads on him and he just took off.”

The win was a long time coming for Mischevious Alex, who burst onto the scene last year as a 3-year-old for trainer John Servis with daylight wins in the Gotham and Grade 3 Swale at Gulfstream Park before his sophomore year was cut short after disappointing performances in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga Race Course and Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park.

Transferred to Joseph for his 4-year-old campaign, the son of Into Mischief won a pair of races at Gulfstream in style, including the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint on February 13, prior to his breakthrough score on Saturday, which gave the young Florida-based horseman just his second Grade 1 victory.

“I was a little concerned early in the race,” said Joseph. “He was a little far back and I know the track has been heavy and I didn't know if he could make up that much ground. Obviously, he was giving Irad some feel and he rode him with a ton of confidence. He ran well but I didn't expect him to win a Grade 1 as easy as he did. Mind Control is a Grade 1-winner and the horse on lead, Chateau, going seven-eighths might be a tad further than what he wants to go, but he has been very impressive. I have a lot of respect for the competition.”

A popular choice at the windows, Mischevious Alex returned $3.70 on a $2 win wager and completed the seven-furlong distance in 1:23.97. Notching his seventh win from just 12 career starts, the bay colt bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm also increased his career earnings to $614,730 for owners Cash is King LLC and LC Racing.

The classy millionaire Mind Control rallied to get second beneath Junior Alvarado, finishing a length in front of Souper Stonehenge in third. It was another neck back to Chateau in fourth, who distanced Shoplifted by 17 ¾ lengths.

“We were stuck on the rail a little bit but that's how it goes,” said Mind Control's trainer Gregg Sacco. “We took what they gave us. The winner ran dynamite, take nothing away from him. Congratulations to Saffie and his crew. We were coming off a little bit of a break and we'll meet again down the road. We're very proud of Mind Control. It was a great way to start the year.”

As for Mischevious Alex's next assignment, it would appear the Grade 1, $1 million Metropolitan on June 5 at Belmont Park on the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes undercard is squarely in play, though the Met Mile may not be an ideal spot for the brilliant sprinter, according to Joseph.

“Chuck [of Cash is King Racing] has always wanted to go to the Met Mile because we want to make him [Mischevious Alex] a stallion,” said the trainer. “Winning a Grade 1 today takes a lot of pressure off. In my opinion, he wants to sprint six or seven furlongs. Can he get a mile? Yes, against the right company. But it all depends on who shows up. The Met Mile is definitely under consideration and then the two Grade 1s at Saratoga [Forego and Vanderbilt]. There's a lot of options. Hopefully, he comes out of it good and then we'll make a game plan.”

With Aqueduct closed on Easter Sunday, racing resumes at the Big A next Thursday with a scheduled first post of 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Paris Lights Shines Bright In 2021 Debut At Aqueduct

WinStar Stablemates Racing's Paris Lights capped her sophomore campaign with a graded stakes score and made her anticipated 4-year-old bow with similar success, running down Portal Creek in the final jumps to capture Friday's Grade 3, $150,000 Distaff Handicap by a half-length at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 66th running of the Distaff, a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, was the first stakes of the 11-day Aqueduct spring meet that started Thursday and runs through April 18.

Paris Lights was last in action nearly nine months prior, when she tracked in second position before edging Crystal Ball by a head to win the nine-furlong Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks in July at Saratoga Race Course.

Off the respite, Paris Lights utilized a similar trip in the Distaff, breaking sharp from post 4 under jockey Junior Alvarado and sitting in second position behind pacesetter Portal Creek, who led the compact five-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.04 seconds and the half in 48.28 on the fast main track.

Kendrick Carmouche kept Portal Creek to the inside out of the turn, with Paris Lights tenaciously attempting to overtake her from the outside. The duo linked up in the stretch, with Portal Creek initially repelling her rival's initial charge before Paris Lights re-gained command in the final sixteenth, hitting the wire in 1:26.99.

The trainee of Hall of Famer Bill Mott won for the fourth time in five career starts and fourth straight following a third-place debut effort in April 2020 at Gulfstream.

“I was hoping she would give me a good break so I could put myself in the race in a stalking position, and that's how it worked out,” said Alvarado. “I got to the lead and she started wandering a little bit and kind of waited on horses. Being off a little while, she got lost on me a little bit, but it was still a great effort.

“She doesn't have a six or seven-furlong kick, she just grinds on little by little,” he added. “Once I got clear, she wandered a little. I tried to keep her attention and move my reins a little and keep her moving forward. This distance is not her game, she was just the best horse today.”

Alvarado, a stalwart on the NYRA circuit, was riding his first day back in New York since notching 53 wins – including seven stakes – during Gulfstream Park's championship meet. On Friday, he continued his success riding for Mott.

“We've been a great team for the past eight years,” he said. “Last year and this year, we've been pretty strong with Bill Mott. I'm just enjoying the ride I'm on right now. It's just been great working with him. I might call him before the race if something looks a little tricky and we'll try and figure it out. I'll say this is what [agent] Mike [Sellitto] and I want to do, but you decide. It works out most of the time.”

Paris Lights' time off did not deter bettors, who made herthe 6-5 favorite. The Curlin filly, carrying 121 pounds, returned $4.60 on a $2 win wager. Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Paris Lights improved her career bankroll to $370,412.

“Obviously, it's not her best distance, but she showed up and ran well,” said Mott assistant Leanna Willaford. “This gives her plenty of time for the [Grade 1, $500,000] La Troienne [on April 30] at Churchill Downs. No complaints. She's been here since Wednesday and has been doing great.”

Ten Strike Racing's Portal Creek, carrying 120 pounds, ran second for a second consecutive stakes, edging a rallying Honor Way to her outside by a neck. The 5-year-old Shanghai Bobby mare was also the runner-up in the Heavenly Prize Invitational going a one-turn mile on March 6 at the Big A for trainer Juan Carlos Guerrero.

In the stretch, Portal Creek angled off the rail closer to Paris Lights, who was making her move near the middle of the track. Carmouche said the drifting might have made the difference.

“The filly ran very game,” Carmouche said. “She only runs one way and she fought it out to the wire. Carlos had her ready today. My filly wanted to fight it out with the other horse, but she was so far out by the time you drift out there, you're not going to win the race.”

Honor Way, who ended her 2020 year with back-to-back wins in the Garland of Roses and Pumpkin Pie, respectively, earned blacktype in her first start as a 7-year-old. Trained by Charlton Baker, Honor Way, the 124-pound highweight, has finished in the money in her last six starts.

Kansas Kis and Lady Kate completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Saturday with an 11-race card that features five stakes, headlined by the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino at 5:58 p.m. Other stakes include the first Grade 1 of the 2021 NYRA circuit in the $300,000 Carter for 4-year-olds and up going seven furlongs; the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle for sophomore fillies at nine furlongs; the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore for 3-year-olds sprinting seven furlongs; and the $150,000 Excelsior for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

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