Jockey Of The Week: Junior Alvarado Records Florida Double

Junior Alvarado’s commuting between Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday and Gulfstream Park on Sunday paid dividends as he won stakes races at both racetracks, earning Jockey of the Week February 5 through February 11 from the panel of racing experts.

The weekly award recognizes jockeys for riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys’ Guild, the organization which represents more than 1,050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

Riding for trainer Jeremiah O’Dwyer at Tampa Bay Downs, Alvarado had the mount on Sibelius in the Pelican Stakes on Saturday, one of four stakes races on Festival Preview Day. Off as the second choice in the field of seven, Sibelius raced in fourth on the outside tracking the leaders Doctor Oscar and Super Ocho. On the far turn, Sibelius ranged up four deep with a sustained rally to post a neck victory over 12-1 shot Mish in 1:08.90 for six furlongs on the dirt, setting a new stakes record.

“When I turned for home, I thought I had a good target (Mish) and when my horse was ready to go, I asked him and he came through for me,” said Alvarado. The other horse put up a good fight, [but] I always knew that I had him.”

On Sunday, Alvarado was back at his usual winter riding base of Gulfstream Park with the mount aboard Stone Silent in the Ladies Turf Sprint for trainer Brian Lynch. Off as the even-money favorite in the field of eight and breaking from post position one, Stone Silent raced on the rail chasing the leader Fulminate. Stone Silent took over on the far turn drawing clear to a 2 1/4-length win in :54.56 for five furlongs on the turf.

“She was ready for me the whole way around,” said Alvarado. “I was just biding my time until we turned for home to let her loose and she did the rest.”

A native of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Alvarado, 38, is coming off a banner year in 2023 when he won 16 graded stakes, eight of which were Grade 1 including the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile aboard fan favorite and Horse of the Year/Older Dirt Male, Cody’s Wish and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies aboard Just F Y I, Two-Year-Old Filly Eclipse Award winner. 

 Alvarado was awarded the 2023 Mike Venezia Memorial Award and is a finalist for the 2024 George Woolf Memorial Award, one of the most prestigious in racing.

Other contenders for Jockey of the Week included Juan J. Hernandez who won the G3 Las Virgenes at Santa Anita, Paco Lopez who won the G3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay, Flavien Prat who won the G3 Palos Verdes at Santa Anita, and Joel Rosario with a win in the G3 San Marcos at Santa Anita.