Odds-on Olympiad battles back in Alysheba for 4th straight win

Olympiad battled back along the rail after being passed by Happy Saver to post a 2 1/2-length victory in the 19th running of the Grade 2, $500,000 Alysheba for 4-year-olds and up Friday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Owned by Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables and LNJ Foxwoods, trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Olympiad completed the mile and a sixteenth on a fast track in 1:41.60.

Weyburn set the pace with Olympiad tracking to his outside in second through fractions of :24.21 and :48.43 seconds. Going into the far turn, Olympiad began to close in on Weyburn with Happy Saver making a three-wide move that propelled him to the front at the head of the stretch.

Although he was in tight between Happy Saver and a fading Weyburn, Olympiad found himself in the clear at the eighth pole and pulled away for the victory.

"We thought he was a nice horse since he was a 2-year-old," Mott said. "He missed a lot of time in his 3-year-old year, unfortunately. The patience that we were allowed to have with him and waited until he got right paid off. He’s a really good horse and competing at a top level."

Olympiad is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Speightstown out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Tokyo Time.

Olympiad returned $3.80, $2.80 and $2.40. Happy Saver, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., returned $3.60 and $2.60 with Title Ready rallying for third another 1 1/2 lengths back under John Velazquez and paying $6 to show.

Weyburn finished fourth and was followed in order by Soy Tapatio, Fulsome and Max Player.