By Stefanie Grimm
NEW KENT, VA-Is it too soon to call 2025 the year of Junior Alvarado? The Venezuelan jockey continued to ride a tsunami of success right into southeast Virginia Saturday, piloting Fort Washington (War Front) to victory in the GI Arlington Million at Colonial Downs.
The “other” Claude McGaughey runner, dispatched at odds of 5-1 compared to favored stablemate Integration (Quality Road), has enjoyed a similar run of success once Alvarado climbed aboard earlier this year. After running fifth beaten 2 1/4 lengths to kick off 2025 in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Florida, he eeked out a win in the GIII Canadian Turf Stakes before shipping to Maryland to take the GIII Dinner Party Stakes on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico May 17. Fourth last out in the GII Wise Dan at Churchill going 1 1/16-miles, McGaughey opted to ship Fort Washington east for a try at Colonial Downs' crown jewel.
Last of the seven-horse field for much for the running, Fort Washington settled well off the speed along the inside as longshot Time Song (Not This Time) led GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents), who was making his turf debut, through an opening half-mile in :48.36. And while he remained seventh up the long Secretariat backstretch, the 5-1 shot was beginning to make up ground on the field and had the pack within his reach as he fanned out for the real running. Stablemate Integration briefly assumed command but got run down in a calvary charge to the line with Fort Washington coming widest of the contenders to steal the win by a half-length. Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) scooted up the rail to pick up second with the race favorite relegated to third and Mystik Dan another half-length back in fourth.
For Alvarado, add Colonial's biggest race to a season that has already seen win photos taken for the GI Kentucky Derby, the GI Belmont Stakes and the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational. The partnership between the 39-year-old jockey and the 6-year-old Fort Washington had seen a sharp turn of form that owner Joseph Anzalone attributes nearly entirely to Alvarado.
“He's the man,” Anzalone said, pointing across the winner circle's to his jockey. “Ever since he got on this horse, he's done nothing wrong. He had a tough trip in the Wise Dan. And obviously [jockey] Kendrick [Carmouche] did a good job in the beginning with him. That's how I got my first graded win [the 2024 GIII Monmouth Stakes]. But when [Junior] took over, it's just been a whole other story. He's tremendous.”
Anzalone's Magic Cap Stables earned their first Grade I win Saturday.
“I can't even say how I feel,” said Anzalone. “First Grade I win for me, it's just been an outstanding adventure.”
The Boca Raton-based stable began racing in 2016 and admirably made it as far as the Breeders' Cup in their first year (finishing fifth with Jamyson 'n Ginger {Bernardini} in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies}.
“I was only on fillies for the first five years,” Anzalone said. “I have a nice breeding program. And now I've got a few colts, and this one just fell into my lap. I'm going to watch [the race] 100 times tonight. My wife yells at me because I watch the replays over and over.”
Fort Washington, who came into the Magic Cap Stable fold full-time just before his victory in the Monmouth Stakes, has just come into his own of late, even at 6-years-old.
“He's six, but he only found himself at maybe five and a half,” he said. “They're talking about Kentucky Downs, but they might also give him a little bit of a break now that he's won this. We were just going to skip this spot and go straight to the [National Thoroughbred League Tight Spot] Overnight but he was working so well, we didn't have a choice! I don't know if he likes the mile so much. [The Breeders' Cup] is the furthest thing from my mind. I was just trying to get the win here today.”
For Alvarado, the success is a reflection of the work he's put in.
“It's been one of those years,” Alvarado said. “As a kid, you always dream to have [a year like this] but it's definitely very hard, a lot of work. This year has been that kind of year for me. I've been very blessed by God to be able to be in this spot. A lot of owners and trainers have supported me and gave me an opportunity to ride nice horses.”
Of the stretch run, he added: “I knew he was going to give me the kick that he always does. This spot was perfect for him today. He's the kind of horse that runs the way I like to ride.”
Pedigree Note:
The 27th Grade I winner for War Front, Fort Washington is a son of French GSP Azaelia (Fr) who has produced two other winners including his full-sister Hay Stack. Her 2-year-old Munnings colt named Olivetti ran fourth at Saratoga in maiden special weight company on Aug. 7 for Peter Brant and Chad Brown. She produced a War Front filly last year and a filly by Triple Crown champion Justify this season before visiting both Annapolis and Raging Bull (Fr) for 2026.
Fort Washington takes the Million! pic.twitter.com/kBhrPlaNjS
— Stefanie Grimm (@SGrimmTDN) August 9, 2025
Saturday, Colonial Downs
ARLINGTON MILLION S.-GI, $1,000,000, Colonial Downs, 8-9, 3yo/up, 1 1/4mT, 1:59.58, fm.
1–FORT WASHINGTON, 122, h, 6, by War Front
1st Dam: Azaelia (Fr) (GSP-Fr, $176,984), by Turtle Bowl (Ire)
2nd Dam: Azalee (Ire), by Peintre Celebre
3rd Dam: Astorg, by Lear Fan
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($260,000 4yo '23 FTKHRA). O-Magic Cap Stables; B-Joseph Allen, LLC & White Birch Farm, Inc. (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III; J-Junior Alvarado. $607,600. Lifetime Record: 28-7-3-8, $1,352,182. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Grand Sonata, 122, h, 6, Medaglia d'Oro–A. P. Sonata, by A.P. Indy. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($125,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP). O/B-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $196,000.
3–Integration, 122, h, 5, Quality Road–Harmonize, by Scat Daddy. ($700,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing LLC; B-Larkin Armstrong (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III. $98,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 5.70, 12.90, 0.60.
Also Ran: Mystik Dan, Cairo (Ire), Time Song, Runaway Storm. Scratched: Vesting (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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