Belmont: Mott, Alvarado team for another graded-stakes win

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and jockey Júnior Alvarado continued their exceptional run of form together in graded stakes. Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Caramel Swirl rallied to score an easy victory in Sunday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Vagrancy Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares at Belmont Park.

“She ran really well fresh today,” Mott said. “(Alvarado) let her settle and get her feet under her, and she came with a nice run. I was really pleased.”

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The Vagrancy was the second graded score this weekend for Mott and Alvarado, who teamed Saturday to win the Runhappy (G3) with Candy Man Rocket over Big Sandy. The two also earned Grade 1 wins in tandem this year with Cody’s Wish in the Churchill Downs and Art Collector in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational along with two other graded victories.

Caramel Swirl enjoyed the second graded coup of her career, adding to a triumph in the 2021 Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland. She made her second start of the year after a six-month respite that ended with a fourth-place finish in the Minaret in February at Tampa Bay Downs. She completed her 4-year-old campaign last year with a game, runner-up effort to Goodnight Olive in the Ballerina Handicap (G1) at Saratoga.

Breaking alertly from post 3, Caramel Swirl was unhurried by Alvarado. To her inside, Rossa Veloce quickly established command and led the field of seven through an opening quarter-mile in 23.30 seconds over the fast main track. Long shot Easy to Bless was asked to improve position midway up the backstretch and loomed on the outside in second. Dr B battled for third position between Funny How and Mosienko.

Approaching the turn, Caramel Swirl drifted back to last. Rossa Veloce clung to her lead in the turn after a half-mile in 46.60 seconds, keeping to task as Mosienko ranged into contention down the center of the track and appeared poised for a serious challenge. But Alvarado shook his reins exiting the turn while guiding Caramel Swirl five wide to take dead aim at a stubborn Rossa Veloce.

Mosienko gave way, and Alvarado needed only to give slight encouragement to Caramel Swirl for her to sweep past her pace-setting rival in the stretch and take charge just past the sixteenth pole. She drew away easily to post the 2 1/2-length victory over the oncoming Dr B, who found her best stride late after going widest of all in the turn.

Rossa Veloce finished three-quarters of a length behind Rossa Veloce for show honors. Mosienko, Midnight Stroll, Funny How and Easy to Bless completing the order of finish. Beguine was scratched.

Alvarado said he opted for a more patient trip after racing closer to the pace last time out when fourth in Tampa Bay Downs’ Minaret.

“At Tampa the track was extremely fast,” Alvarado said. “She’s a filly that likes to break, but she likes to get comfortable. You have to let her find her rhythm, and I was just playing the track that day, so I think I rushed her too much off her feet, and she didn’t like that.

“Today she broke well again. I took a hold and let her get into her rhythm. When she hit the three-eighths pole, I knew she was already full of run. I had a lot of horse underneath me, so I just let her cruise along, tipped out, and she did the rest.”

Alvarado has ridden the daughter of Union Rags in 10 of her 13 career starts and said the mare continues to improve with every race.

“She’s been developing great," Alvarado said. "She’s been a little unlucky with hiccups along the way, but she always comes back and tries her best. I think we’re going to have an even better horse this year.”

Mott added that he would like to give Caramel Swirl another try at a Grade 1 victory this summer at Saratoga in the Ballerina Handicap on Aug. 26, a win-and-you’re-in qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in November at Santa Anita Park.

“Hopefully we can run back in the Ballerina,” Mott said.

Caramel Swirl banked $96,250 in victory and improved her record to 13: 5-4-2 with total purse earnings of $588,450. She returned $6.40 for a $2 win wager.

Butch Reid-trained Dr B made her first start after a five-month layoff that came on the heels of an impressive victory in the Go for Wand (G3) in December at Aqueduct. Irad Ortiz Jr., who earned a record 77th stakes victory in a single North America season when piloting Dr B to her Go for Wand victory, was aboard again in the Vagrancy and said he had to change his plans when Dr B did not make the lead.

“I had to wait a little longer than I wanted to,” Ortiz said. “I broke running, but I couldn’t make the lead, and I couldn’t hold my position in second, so I had to go to plan B. There weren’t too many options. I had to sit behind the speed and wait longer than I wanted to, but that’s racing.

“She was running. The winner is a nice filly, too. I think we’re in good shape. It was a nice race for her coming back. She can improve off that, for sure.”