PATIENCE KEY TO PRESERVATIONIST SUBURBAN STAKES WIN Travers winner Catholic Boy second in return to dirt
ELMONT, N.Y. >> It was worth the wait for Jimmy Jerkens’ trained Preservationist and a comeback that failed for 2018 Travers winner Catholic Boy Saturday afternoon in the $700,000 Grade 2 Suburban Stakes at Belmont Park.
The pair broke out of the gate together with the early lead and Catholic Boy with Javier Castellano aboard held the lead at the halfway point in 48.09 seconds with Preservationist a close second followed by Realm.
“He broke very well and Jimmy (Jerkens) told me ‘Let him break well and run the first part, whatever you’re comfortable with stay there,’” Preservationist jockey Junior Alvarado said. “Then Realm broke sharp too, I don’t think Catholic Boy broke as sharp as me and the other horse.
“Then we came down the rail and at that point Javier (Castellano aboard Catholic Boy) was staying right behind me because I was in a good spot right there, but as soon as we turned the back side the
horse went by me.”
Catholic Boy took charge into the far turn with a length and a-half lead over Preservationist at 1:11.69 but after completing the turn Preservationist moved to the far outside with Pavel and Catholic Boy close by. At the top of the stretch Preservationist was up the rail by a head with Catholic Boy on the outside in second and Pavel was third in the center of the course with clear sailing for the front runners.
“At that point I wasn’t in the lead, but my horse was in nice rhythm so I didn’t want to change anything, I didn’t want to push him more to hold the lead, I left him alone, let him find his own rhythm and do his thing,” Alvarado said. “We turned for home and I asked him he was all there for me.”
At the mile Preservationist had full control in 1:35.68 pulling away for a four and one-half length lead in 1:59.99.
With only his eighth start in a six-year career Preservationist wasn’t a slow starter, but just unlucky.
“We always knew he had a lot of talent, it was frustrating, we couldn’t get any continuity with him,” trainer Jimmy Jerkens said. “It would be something with his feet, he is such a big horse and he has kind of little, narrow feet for a big horse. Maybe he’s old enough now that they’re finally holding up.”
Alvarado was familiar with his stakes champion knowing that the right combination of distances could set him up for a win.
“I remember riding him in Saratoga in six furlongs coming off a little layoff and I thought it was a great race, but it wasn’t even close to what he can really handle,” Alvarado said. “It was way too short a distance I remember that day he galloped out, then I ran him back at a mile at Aqueduct and won by nose and I could feel there is way more there, he just has to get it all together.
“After that I knew how good he was and I just let left it up to Jimmy Jerkens, he’s a great horseman, he was the one getting him ready for this race.”
Preservationist was followed by Catholic Boy, Pavel and Realm.
Preservationist paid $9.90 to win, $4.40 place and $3.70 show with the 2-1 exacta paying $18.40 and the 2-1-11 trifecta paying $47.60.
This was the third Suburban Stakes title for Jerkens who wasn’t about to set a date for Preservationist in Saratoga.
“Whitney? I don’t know,” Jerkens replied. “I guess you have to look at it, but it’s pretty unlikely though.”