Arlington: Essence of Bubbles headed to Delta

While many of the 2-year-olds who ran well in the Arlington-Washington Lassie and Futurity here at Arlington on Sept .10 will move on to races at Keeneland, trainer Larry Rivelli has something different in mind for Lassie runner-up Essence of Bubbles. Essence of Bubbles will soon head south to Delta Downs, where she will start Oct. 12 in the $150,000 My Trusty Cat, a two-turn, seven-furlong race that’s a prep for the $500,000 Delta Princess on Nov. 12.

“If she runs one-two in that next race, I’ll run her back in the Delta Princess,” said Rivelli.

The Delta races, over middle distances at a bullring track with a short stretch, could suit Essence of Bubbles, a horse with early speed who might not want to run much farther than a mile. Essence of Bubbles was privately purchased by Richard Ravin after beating males in an Aug. 25 Arlington allowance race. Earlier in the summer, she had started for a $7,500 claiming tag in Kentucky.

Rivelli, meanwhile, enters closing week of the Arlington meet with a three-win lead, 38-35, over Scott Becker in the race for leading trainer.

Alvarado’s late run falling short

It’s probably too late for jockey Junior Alvarado to catch James Graham (78 win through Sunday) and Jozbin Santana (75 wins) during the final week of the Arlington meet. Alvarado enters Thursday’s action with 71 victories, and quite possibly would have a healthy lead in the jockey standings had he not missed several weeks of mounts earlier in the summer after breaking his collarbone.

“Last week, when I won 11 races, I thought I had a shot to get it,” Alvarado said. “It’s a little frustrating.”

Alvarado, who topped the Arlington standings in 2009 and was second in 2010, said he plans to ride at the Keeneland meet, but will no longer be represented by agent Jay Fedor there. Alvarado said he is “90-percent sure” that he will move his tack to Aqueduct after Keeneland. Alvarado rode in New York last winter, winning 56 races at Aqueduct.