Alvarado after his winning return (Ryan Thompson)
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Junior Alvarado celebrated his return to Gulfstream Park for the 2024-2025 Championship Meet with a rallying victory Thursday aboard David Romanik’s River of Time.
Trained by Ron Spatz, the New York-bred Fog of War gelding River of Time ($15.80) ran a mile and 70 yards in 1:42.85 to win the claiming event for 2-year-old maidens by 3 ¼ lengths in his career debut.
“There’s no better feeling than coming back and getting a win right away, so that people know that you’re 100 percent and ready,” Alvarado said. “I’m ready for the meet and I’m very happy to be here.”
Alvarado, 38, returned to Gulfstream having won 96 of 647 starts and more than $11.4 million in purse earnings this year. Nine of his wins have come in graded stakes highlighted by the Whitney (G1) with Arthur’s Ride, who is among the leading contenders for next month’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1). Alvarado won the 2023 Pegasus with Art Collector, also trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott.
At the 2023-2024 Championship Meet Alvarado ranked seventh with 35 wins and eighth with $2.29 million in purses earned. He won four stakes, three with Florida-bred turf sprinter Stone Silent and the Mr. Prospector (G3) with Group 1 winner Sibelius.
Since returning to spend the winter full-time at Gulfstream in 2020-2021, Alvarado has averaged 42 wins and $2.75 million in purse earnings, ranking in the top eight each year. He was the regular rider for 2023 Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish and this year won the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) with Pegasus runner-up Senor Buscador.
“I’ve had a great year,” Alvarado said. “The last four years that I’ve been coming here to Gulfstream have been the best four years of my career, so I wasn’t going to change anything. I’m lucky to come here with some momentum and have some good horses for Mr. Mott, so hopefully it keeps moving us forward.”
John Velazquez also made his 2024-2025 Championship Meet debut Thursday without finding the winner’s circle. The 53-year-old Hall of Famer has three scheduled mounts on Friday’s 10-race program.
Luis Saez, a three-time Championship Meet titlist, is scheduled to make his first appearance of the 2024-2025 season Friday, when he is named to ride in seven races.
The 32-year-old Panama native is coming off a banner fall meet at Churchill Downs, where he rode 42 winners to win the title by a margin of 20 wins.
