Junior Alvarado | Horse Racing Free Tips

All Stakes Cross Country Pick 5 Pays $93,103

Saturday's all-graded stakes Cross Country Pick 5, featuring top-caliber action from Saratoga and Arlington Park, paid $93,103 for selecting all five winners for the 50-cent wager. The total pool was $328,609.

Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., started the action when High Oak drew away for an impressive 4 1/4-length win in the $200,000 Grade 2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite in Race 9. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, High Oak won the 6 1/2-furlong main track sprint for juveniles in a final time of 1:16.53 under jockey Junior Alvarado. Off at 10-1, he returned $22.40 on a $2 win wager.

The remainder of the sequence featured all Grade 1 contests, commencing with the $400,000 Beverly D. for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up competing at 1 3/16 miles on the Arlington turf in Race 7. Even-money favorite Santa Barbara [$4], the winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational last month at Belmont Park, posted a three-length win under rider Ryan Moore, who traveled from Europe for the mount. Conditioned by internationally acclaimed trainer Aidan O'Brien, Santa Barbara completed the course in 1:54.55.

In Saratoga's 10th race, Got Stormy bested males to win the $500,000 Grade 1 Fourstardave for 3-year-olds and up for the second time in her career. Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Got Stormy, the 2019 Fourstardave winner, bested Set Piece by 1 1/2 lengths under Tyler Gaffalione, hitting the wire in 1:33.09 for the one-mile inner turf contest. Got Stormy [$27] won at 12-1. Her sire, Get Stormy, won the 2010 edition of the Fourstardave.

The premier race day at Arlington – located in Arlington Heights, Illinois – closed the wager with the final two races, starting with Point Me By's 2 3/4-length win in the $300,000 Bruce D. for 3-year-olds going one mile on the turf in Race 8. The Bruce D., formerly known as the Secretariat, saw the Eddie Kenneally-trained Point Me By win as the favorite, returning $5.40. Luis Saez, who traveled from Saratoga for the card, piloted Point Me By to victory, notching a final time of 1:37.70.

Arlington's Race 9 concluded the sequence when Two Emmys edged heavy favorite Domestic Spending by a neck in a thrilling finish to the $600,000 Mr. D. for 3-year-olds and up competing at 1 1/4 miles on the turf. It was potentially the last running for the contest formerly known as the Arlington Million and renamed for long-time Arlington owner Richard Duchossois, honoring the 99-year-old World War II veteran. Two Emmys, trained by Hugh Robertson and ridden by James Graham, went gate-to-wire and put his nose on the wire at 2:03.34 to get the win.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

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Pacific Gale Breezes Ahead of Smart N Fancy At Saratoga

Holly Hill Stables' Pacific Gale breezed a half-mile in :48.80 Sunday on the Oklahoma training turf in preparation for a grass debut in Saturday's $120,000 Smart N Fancy, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for older fillies and mares at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

A multiple graded stakes winner on dirt, the 6-year-old Flat Out bay worked solo under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.

“She went 48 and change the right way and had a very good gallop out,” Kimmel said.

Pacific Gale blossomed over the winter in Florida, capturing the Grade 2 Inside Information in January and Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie in March, both at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

She has made her last three starts in graded stakes sprints, finishing third in the Grade 3 Vagrancy in May and fourth in the Grade 3 Bed o' Roses in June, both at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., ahead of a fifth-place effort last out in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney on July 3 at Gulfstream.

Kimmel said the $500,000 Grade 1 Ketel One Ballerina, a seven-furlong main track sprint on Travers Day August 28, is coming up tough, so he has given Pacific Gale her last two works on turf to good effect.

“I always wanted to see if she had any affinity for the turf course. Even though she's a 6-year-old, we never really got around to it. It might open up another avenue,” Kimmel said. “We gave her a couple breezes on the turf course with very positive results both visually and also Johnny thought she handled it very nicely.”

Kimmel said Chester and Mary Broman's popular New York-bred millionaire Mr. Buff will target a third win in the nine-furlong Empire Classic for state-breds on October 30 at Belmont following his off-the-board effort in the Evan Shipman on August 11 at the Spa.

With regular pilot Junior Alvarado up, Mr. Buff did not break as alertly as usual and had to chase the pace of gate-to-wire winner Sea Foam while being hemmed in by Three Jokers.

“The weather was kind of hot for him and he was a little dull. He didn't break that sharp and when he wanted to go, Junior had a quick moment to push him through there and he didn't go,” Kimmel said. “He got put in a box and he was in his mouth for a good quarter of a mile trying to slow him down. When he didn't get enough response, he put his stick away and galloped him home.

“We'll try to make sure we have him ready for the Empire Classic,” Kimmel continued. “Cooler weather should work well for him.”

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High Oak May Go For BC Juvenile Spot In Champagne At Belmont

LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's High Oak improved to 2-for-2 with an impressive 4 1/4-length score in Saturday's $200,000 Grade 2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juveniles at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Gormley bay bid three-wide at the top of the lane under Junior Alvarado, overtaking Doctor Jeff and the runner-up Gunite to stop the clock in 1:16.53.

High Oak closed to win his debut by a neck sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., but the bettors let the $70,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase leave the gate at odds of 10-1 on Saturday.

Mott said High Oak ran to his training, including a bullet half-mile breeze in :48.11 seconds on August 7 on the Oklahoma dirt training track.

“We were pleased but not totally surprised,” Mott said. “He had been working quite well and he had run well enough in his first race.”

Mott said he was pleased with how High Oak, who garnered a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure, finished up the race.

“He was determined,” Mott said.

While Mott said he will leave all options open, the next likely consideration for High Oak is the $500,000 Grade 1 Champagne on October 2 at Belmont, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 5 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

The win by High Oak completed a Mott-trained double that launched a race earlier when Godolphin homebred Speaker's Corner drew off to a 5 1/4-length allowance score, registering a 101 Beyer.

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With Jose Ortiz up, the 3-year-old Street Sense bay bobbled at the start of the seven-furlong main-track sprint but quickly found his footing to track the pacesetting Mahaamel from third before taking command at the five-sixteenths and powering home in a final time of 1:22.29.

Speaker's Corner graduated at second asking with a three-quarter length score over eventual graded-stakes placed Caddo River and multiple graded-stakes winner Greatest Honour in a seven-furlong maiden special weight in October at Belmont.

Mott said he had hoped to start Speaker's Corner around two turns but was pleasantly surprised at Saturday's one-turn score.

“Visually, he ran good and numbers-wise he ran good. And he came back good, too,” Mott said. “We had entered him in a two-turn race the day before which didn't fill thinking that this might not work out that well for him because I knew there would be some fast horses in there, but we got lucky and it worked out.”

Mott said he had initially hoped to get the lightly-raced colt to the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers slated for August 28 at the Spa but circumstances led to a more patient schedule.

“That's what we were hoping for, but it didn't work out that way. One little setback after another and before you know it, the Travers is upon us,” Mott said. “There's other races and we'll have to make it count somewhere else, hopefully.”

Among a number of options for Speaker's Corner is the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 25 at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn.

“That would have to be on the radar. It would fit into the timing,” Mott said. “But everything is an option. We try to keep all our options open.”

LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's Casa Creed closed five-wide to finish third in Saturday's Grade 1 Fourstardave, just two lengths in arrears of the more prominently placed Got Stormy.

The 5-year-old Jimmy Creed bay entered the one-mile inner turf test from a two-length score in the six-furlong Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur on June 5 at Belmont.

“He ran a good race. It's hard not to be pleased with his effort,” Mott said.

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High Oak Towers In Saratoga Special Victory

High Oak put in an impressive performance in his second lifetime start for jockey Junior Alvarado to win the Grade 2 Saratoga Special at The Spa on Aug. 14. The Bill Mott trainee chased a tough early pace, breaking well in a field of ten and settling for fifth, three wide on the backstretch run of the six and a half furlong contest. He passed inside rivals to click into third, behind pacesetters Doctor Jeff and Gunite into the stretch, then swung to the outside, hanging alongside them in the top of the stretch. At the 3/16ths pole, High Oak found another gear and powered away, winning by four and a half lengths.

Gunite hung on for second, with Nakatomi getting up for third. Favored Doctor Jeff, who went off at 8-5, was fifth.

The field set fractions of :21.82, :44.93, and 1:09.81, with a final time of 1:16.53. See the full chart here.

Mott trains High Oak for owners LRE racing and JEH Racing. The Gormley colt came to the Special off a maiden win at Belmont in late June, where he also set off the early pace and closed. High Oak was bred in Kentucky by Catherine Parke and is out of Elusive Quality mare Champagne Sue. He was sold as a weanling at Keeneland November for $37,000, consigned by Valkyre Stud and purchased by Donarra Farm. As a yearling, he brought $70,000 from LRE Racing as a graduate from the Lane's End consignment.

High Oak paid $22.40 from a $2 win bet.

Saratoga Special Quotes

Bill Mott, winning trainer of High Oak (No. 11, $22.40): “We were just off the pace so he was right behind them. He was running plenty fast enough himself. When they hung up those fractions, I thought he'd have to be pretty good to hang in there himself.”

On working in company with older Grade 1-winner Casa Creed: “If they're going to run in these kind of races they better be able to do that. We just gave him some company to go with and thought they looked like a good pair. He was very professional today. We were very pleased. He's been a little tough to handle, but great in the paddock, great on the race track. He did everything right.”

On a potential next start in the G1, $500,000 Champagne on October 2 at Belmont Park: “You certainly would look at him and say that a one-turn mile is going to be okay. I guess you find all those things out as you go along. It's usually guesswork until you do it.

“I'm sure there will be plenty of discussion with [co-owner] Lee [Einseidler]. He's probably not going to want to pass up too many spots, but we'll talk and figure out a game plan.”

Junior Alvarado, winning jockey aboard High Oak (No. 11): “He broke very sharp today. He was a whole different horse today. He was mentally prepared and sharp. To be honest, I was just a passenger today. He put me in the spot that I wanted and he took me all the way around. When I turned for home, I just had to ask him a little bit and he took off.

“He broke great so I wasn't hustling to get there, but I wasn't going to slow him down either. He was going in a good rhythm for my horse. I know they were going fast but my horse was in a nice rhythm and he wasn't going as fast as he can go. He was pretty happy there. He finished up strong and galloped out great.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr., jockey aboard third-place Nakatomi (No. 1): “I had a perfect trip behind the leaders and off the speed. He was right there, close. The winner was much the best. My horse ran a good race. He came running.”

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