Alma d’Oro wins the Stakes at the Aqueduct
The holiday break has come with added cheer for Javier Castellano as his horse, Alma d’Oro won the $60,000 Forty Niner Stakes at the Aqueduct on Sunday. The horse put on a thrilling and excited show as spectators watched Alma d’Oro
take the lead and leave behind the struggling band of rival horses. After the lead was taken, Alma d’Oro made sure that it was sustained by putting on a great gust of speed which the other horses could not manage.
This was the second time this season that Alma d’Oro has won a stakes race, the first one being the Grover (Buddy) Delp Memorial in October at Delaware Park. Alma d’Oro’s victory at the Aqueduct has signaled the start of the holiday
break for the inner track meet. The track will host the next meet on the 29th of December, Wednesday.
Alma d’Oro displayed superior skill and won the race by four and a half lengths. He was able to achieve this in an admirable time of 1:36.27.The 3-year son of Medaglia d’Oro was initially the second choice for the race. Alma d’Oro
was able to return $6.30, $3.20 and $4.90 whereas Ben’s Cat, who stood second returned $4.60 and $5.70 and More Than A Reason paid $7.50. The fourth position was secured by Favored Understatement.
Despite the inner track being closed for the holidays, the Aqueduct will be conducting simulcasting, only taking the 24th and 25th of December as off days.
With the holiday break closing in, the jockey who is standing on the top of the list is Ramon Dominguez. Dominguez has 45 wins to his credit. Of the last 12 New York Racing Association titles, he has won 11. Dominguez was the third
in Saratoga this summer.
The second place in jockey standings goes to David Cohen who has 27 wins. Cohen is closely trailed by Alan Garcia with 23 wins. They are followed by Jose Lezcano with 20, Junior Alvarado with 17, Johnny Velazquez, Saratoga’s leading
jockey and Castellano with16 wins each.
Coming onto the trainers, top of the list is Rick Violette who has gathered 16 wins. Alma d’Oro’s trainer Todd Pletcher has 14 wins to his credit whereas Belmont’s top trainer Rudy Rodriguez was able to secure 13 wins.
NYRA has offered bus routes from some of the Off-Track-Betting parlors to the Aqueduct in order to facilitate its attendees. However, these will remain closed during the holiday break.
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