Alvarado, Clement look to stay hot

ELMONT, N.Y. – Jockey Junior Alvarado and trainer Christophe Clement hope to continue the success each had last weekend when they team up with Notorious R B G in Thursday’s co-featured firstlevel allowance race, scheduled for six furlongs on Belmont Park’s inner turf course.

Alvarado won 10 races from 23 mounts – including four stakes – Friday through Sunday at Belmont, while Clement, over the same three-day period, went 4 for 6 with two stakes wins. The two teamed up to win the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational with the 3-year-old Gufo.

Notorious R B G will be making her first start since her namesake, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, died on Sept. 18. Notorious R B G, a 3-year-old daughter of Speightstown, has a modest 1-for-4 record, but she is coming off a narrow defeat in this condition on Aug. 14 at Saratoga. Prior to that, she finished fourth in the Lady Shipman Stakes going six furlongs here June 21.

“She didn’t run bad in that race and she’s a better horse today than she was then,” Clement said. “She had a good work the other day. My son” – assistant trainer Miguel Clement – “is very happy with the way she’s trained.”

A Little Faith, trained by Bruce Levine, finished fourth in this condition at Saratoga going 5 1/2 furlongs. She was forced to steady and lost some positioning down the backside before rallying four wide in the lane. She was beaten 1 1/2 lengths.

A Little Faith is back at Belmont, where she is 2 for 2, although those wins came in New York-bred company.

Bean Counter, trained by Todd Pletcher, also is 2 for 2 at Belmont. She rallied widest of all from last and finished third, a neck in front of A Little Faith, in this same condition at Saratoga.

Lovely Queen makes her first start in two years and first for trainer Chad Brown. Brown also sends out Cost Benefit, who turns back to six furlongs after a seventh-place finish going a mile July 26 at Saratoga.

Fetching, Bay Jewel, Festina Piente, Sweet Kisses, and Break Curfew complete the field.

Earlier on the card, Bears Mafia puts a five-race win streak on the line when she runs in a New York-bred allowance for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on the dirt.

Bears Mafia, trained by Jeffrey Englehart, won a $12,500 claimer on July 5 at Monmouth Park and has since reeled off four wins at Finger Lakes in 51 days.

Among those in this 11-horse field is Tiergan, who returns from a nine-month layoff for trainer Bill Mott. Tiergan’s lone win came in his career debut going six furlongs here in October 2018.

He has fired two bullet works leading to his return

“We had a soundness issue we had to give him time for, he’s come back, and he seems to have done well,” Mott said.

Follow David Grening on Twitter @DRFGrening