Alvarado Named Jockey of the Week

Junior Alvarado's excellent four-win day at Gulfstream Park included graded stakes wins in the Fred W. Hooper (G3), the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational (G2) and the Inside Information (G2). His first win of the day came in the second race, a maiden special weight. The panel of racing experts voted Alvarado Jockey of the Week for January 19-25. The weekly honor recognizes jockeys for significant riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild. Founded in 1940, the Guild represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States. Alvarado started Gulfstream Park's Pegasus World Cup Day with a win for reigning Eclipse Award trainer Bill Mott in the second race aboard Swing Vote a sure sign of good things to come. Five-time Eclipse Award trainer, Mott gave a leg up to his "go-to" rider Alvarado aboard the 5-year-old Knightsbridge in the Fred W. Hooper (G3). Off as the 4-5 favorite in the field of eight, Knightsbridge raced in second outside his main rival Life and Times with Jose Lezcano. Knightsbridge put away that challenger at the quarter pole and cruised to a 4-3/4-length win in 1:35.12 for one mile on the main track. "We've always thought very high of him," Alvarado said to Gulfstream publicity. "He showed up today. He ran a very good race." Riding for two-time Eclipse Award trainer Brad Cox, Alvarado was aboard Destino d'Oro in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational (G2). Off at odds of 15-1, Destino d'Oro raced near the back of the 12-horse field and still trailed eight horses as the field approached the top of the stretch. Alvarado tipped the 4-year-old filly outside and drove past the frontrunners to win by 1/2-length in 1:40.33 for the mile and one-sixteenth turf test. "We broke and I knew she was probably going to come from off the pace," Alvarado said. "When I switched leads at the three-quarter pole and was getting close at the five-eighths pole, I couldn't believe how much horse I had underneath me." Alvarado's fourth win of the day came in the Inside Information (G2) aboard 5-year-old Grand Job trained by Bill Mott. Off as the favorite at odds of 2-1 in the field of 11, Grand Job raced near the front taking command midway on the turn posting a 2-3/4 length win in 1:21.41 for seven furlongs. "It's been an amazing day," said Alvarado. "I've been on very live good horses that I've been riding. This filly today, she's been ready for quite a while, she was ready today and I was just the passenger." Gulfstream Park is Alvarado's winter base and will be riding there all this week. Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Erik Asmussen who won two stakes races at Sam Houston including the Houston Ladies Classic (G3), Manny Franco with a win in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) with Test Score, Tyler Gaffalione who won the Pegasus World Cup (G1) with Skippylongstocking and Samuel Marin with 10 wins for the week including a five-win day on Saturday.