Joe Labozzetta Photo

Alvarado impressed with Tax's blistering workouts

by NYRA Press Office

• Kimmel readies stakes contenders for upcoming targets
• Clement discusses plans for Aqueduct winners; graded stakes winner Pure Sensation
• Yellow Moon Stable's Hit It Once More targeting Flat Out
• Belmont Park to feature 12 p.m. post time on Kentucky Derby Day

Count jockey Junior Alvarado among those impressed with Tax's blistering half-mile work on Thursday in preparation for the Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby.

Alvarado, who is set to make his third career Derby mount when he pilots Tax on May 4 at Churchill Downs, watched as Tax recorded a 47.80-second breeze, the fastest of 48 recorded works at the distance, over the Belmont Park training track.

"I thought it was great and I loved the way he started; it's really important when you're getting ready to ride a mile-and-a-quarter race that your horse can be in the bridle but won't try and run off," Alvarado said from the Belmont jock's room Friday. "Coming down the lane, he has such a beautiful, long stride. I was paying attention to his gallop out and it was outstanding. He showed me everything I wanted to see. He did it nice and strong, pretty much on his own."

Alvarado has ridden Tax twice, guiding him to a win by a head over Not That Brady in the Grade 3 Withers on February 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack and last out in the Wood Memorial when he was runner-up in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets on April 6 at the Big A.

With three straight races at 1 1/8 miles, the "Run for the Roses" will mark Tax's first start at 1 ¼ miles and will come against what is expected to be a full 20-horse field.

"He's a great gate horse. Even when he won with me, he stumbled and still had the ability to be near the lead. It helps," Alvarado said. "When you go to a 20-horse field, having a horse who can break out of there and get you to a good position helps. It's very important and that's something that he's done with me.

"It doesn't matter what part of the race, when you need him to make a move, he's always there for you," Alvarado said. "It's always quick. He's not a plodding horse who takes time to get going. He's pretty much a push-button horse. If you need to make a little move to get in a better spot, I know he'll be there for me."

Tax, owned by R.A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch and Corms Racing Stable, has never finished off the board in five career starts, with a 2-2-1 record.

Alvarado will be making his third career Derby start and second in as many years after Enticed ran 14th last May. His best finish was aboard Mohaymen, who ran fourth in 2016.

The Venezuelan native, who will turn 33 on May 20, said previous experience with the Triple Crown's opening leg is beneficial, as a crowd in excess of 150,000 people can unnerve even the most experienced riders.

"When I rode my first Derby, I was nervous the whole week leading up to the Derby. Now, I'm excited but definitely less nervous than the first time," Alvarado said. "It's a little bit of an advantage to be more relaxed right now. The first time, the week before, I was overthinking a lot of things and how the race will develop. At that point, more than trying to win the race, you're thinking 'how could I mess up the race?' So many things start coming to your mind that shouldn't. You play it in your mind and messes with you a little bit. Right now, I don't feel the same way. I'm only excited; nervousness is behind me."

Alvarado rode 70 winners during the Aqueduct winter meet - second only to leading rider Manny Franco's 98 victories - and said he's excited to continue that momentum at Belmont, which kicks off its 48-day spring/summer meet on Friday.

"I had a great winter meet and I stayed out of trouble injury-wise and I'm looking forward to Belmont and continuing that success," Alvarado said. "I'll keep working hard and hopefully keep getting the same support from trainers and owners."

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Kimmel readies stakes contenders for upcoming targets

After closing out the Aqueduct Racetrack spring meet with a victory from 3-year-old New York-bred Bronx Bomber on the penultimate day of the meet, trainer John Kimmel is looking to propel into the Belmont spring/summer meet in a big way with a bevy of stakes contenders eyeing assignments.

Multiple stakes winner and New York-bred Mr. Buff, eyeing a start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Pimlico Special on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course, posted a four-furlong breeze in 48.55 seconds over the Belmont main track on Wednesday.

The 4-year-old homebred son of Friend or Foe for owners Chester and Mary Broman, kicked off his 2019 campaign with a victory in the Jazil on January 26 at Aqueduct before running a disappointing ninth in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds on March 23.

"We're just going to draw line through that race," said Kimmel. "It seemed as if the track really wasn't playing fair that day, or at least that's what it seemed like with a number of runners who were expected to perform well not panning out that day...since that race, he's been training fine and we're going to point for the Pimlico Special."

Multiple graded stakes placed filly Pacific Gale, who in three starts this year has picked up a pair of second-place finishes in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream and most recently last out to Come Dancing in the Grade 3 Distaff at Aqueduct on April 5, will point to the Grade 3, $200,000 Vagrancy on May 11.

"She's doing great," said Kimmel. "She just ran into a real buzz saw last time out, but she's moved forward off that race."

Graded stakes placed Awesome Saturday, a 4-year-old son of Any Given Saturday, will target an allowance race coming off a fourth-place finish in the Danger's Hour on April 7 at Aqueduct.

"We're looking for a 'three-other-than' here at Belmont on May 2," said Kimmel. "If that race doesn't go, then we'll also consider the Cliff Hanger [May 4] at Monmouth Park."

A fixture on the NYRA circuit for over thirty years, Kimmel said he is looking forward to having another productive meet at Belmont.

"I think we have a good chance to have a productive meet," said Kimmel. "We have a number of fine 2-year-olds that we'll look to run as well as our older horses. There's a lot to look forward to and we're hoping to start the meet off strong."

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Clement discusses plans for Aqueduct winners; graded stakes winner Pure Sensation

Trainer Christophe Clement is beginning to look ahead to graded stakes action with some of his recent winners.

Following a victory in the Memories of Silver on the penultimate day of racing at Aqueduct Racetrack, Feel Glorious could move up to graded stakes company in her next outing. Clement stated that the Grade 3, $100,000 Soaring Softly on May 18 over the Belmont Park turf is a likely option for the British-bred daughter of Bated Breath.

Unbeaten in her two starts since relocating to the United States, Feel Glorious scored against allowance company on March 9 over the turf at Gulfstream Park before her triumph by a head in the Memories of Silver.

"The Memories of Sliver was a very nice race for her and she came out of the race well," Clement said. "I thought she finished strong and she got a good trip despite having to move wide in the lane. We'll keep the Soaring Softly as one of our options."

Clement also said Aqueduct allowance winner Chipolata, who dazzled in her 4-year-old debut over the Big A turf when defeating allowance company by 1 ¼ lengths, is set to step up in class.

Third at odds of 36-1 in last year's Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in her American debut, the daughter of Muhtathir's next start could take place in the Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay on May 4 over the inner turf.

"She's doing well," Clement said. "I thought her last race was very good. As of now, we have the Sheepshead Bay as one of our intended targets for her."

Chipolata was bred in France by Hubert Honroe, who owns the 4-year-old chestnut filly in partnership with Robert Masiello and West Point Thoroughbreds.

Also eyeing graded stakes action later this meet is six-time graded stakes winning millionaire Pure Sensation, who recently captured his 2019 debut at Gulfstream Park in a five-furlong allowance.

Clement said Pure Sensation, a winner of the Jaipur Invitational in 2016, will likely be pointed again to the six-furlong "Win And You're In" event for the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which now carries Grade 1 status as well as a purse of $400,000.

"He continues to do well," Clement said. "We have taken this path previously to get to the Jaipur [June 8] and I anticipate we'll follow the same path as long as he's doing well and training up for it."

Bred in Florida by owner Patricia Generazio, Pure Sensation is a three-time winner of the Grade 3 Turf Monster at Parx Racing and finished third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in 2016 when held at Santa Anita. The 8-year-old son of Zensational has banked a total of $1,593,550.

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Yellow Moon Stable's Hit It Once More targeting Flat Out

Yellow Moon Stable's Hit It Once More could still be on target for the $100,000 Flat Out on May 3 at Belmont Park, trainer Gary Sciacca said Friday morning.

Sciacca said he'd confirm the 6-year-old son of Hard Spun's next step with the connections but said the 1 3/8-mile Flat Out could be a good spot. It would also offer Hit It Once More class relief after a fifth-place effort in the Grade 3 Excelsior at 1 1/8 miles on April 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

"I'll talk to the owner today and see what he wants to do," Sciacca said. "He's been doing pretty well, and I'd like to run him here. So, that's probably what we'll do."

Hit It Once More breezed four furlongs in 48.12 seconds on Wednesday at the Belmont training track, the eighth-fastest of a group of 51.

"He worked fine, so we'll see what happens," Sciacca said.

Hit It Once More has already raced four times this year, bouncing back from a fourth and fifth-place finish, respectively, against optional claimers at the Big A before a runner-up effort to Royal Albert Hall by 1 ¾ lengths on March 2 over the same track.

The New York-bred will be making his 38th career start and seeking his fifth career stakes win, with his last coming with a three-length score in the Genesee Valley Breeders' on August 20 at Finger Lakes.

Hit It Once More gave Sciacca his last stakes win at a NYRA track when he won the Haynesfield on February 17, 2018.

Sciacca, who saddled his first winner in 1981, has 957 career wins in more than 11,550 starts.

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Belmont Park to feature 12 p.m. post time on Kentucky Derby Day

Kentucky Derby Day, Saturday, May 4 at Belmont Park, will feature a special first post of 12 p.m. ET for a 12-race card highlighted by a trio of graded stakes races including the Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay; the Grade 3, $200,000 Westchester; and the Grade 3, $150,000 Fort Marcy.

Post time for the 12th and final race on the Derby Day card at Belmont is 6:15 p.m. with the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby set to burst from the starting gate at Churchill Downs at 6:50 p.m. ET.

Kentucky Derby Day at Belmont includes the return of the Bourbon Festival, which will be held at the North Shore Terrace from 3-7 p.m. More than 30 bourbons, beers and hard ciders will be available for tastings, with admission to the park starting at 10 a.m. and access to the exclusive tastings beginning at 3 p.m. Guests will also receive handicapping advice and betting strategies from the NYRA Bets Squad.

Tickets are $65 per person and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster or by calling 844-NYRA-TIX. For more information, visit http://www.bourbonatbelmont.com.