Donning the moon and stars of Magic Cap Stables, jockey Junior Alvarado continued his other-worldly 2025 campaign at Colonial Downs on Saturday when Fort Washington charged home from last to win the Grade 1 Arlington Million Stakes. “It’s been one of those years,” Alvarado said. “As a kid, it’s always one of those years you dream to have, but it’s definitely hard. It’s a lot of work, but to be honest, this year has been that kind of year for me.” His year will forever be tied to victories aboard Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Grade 2 Jim Dandy, but Alvarado’s months of work with Fort Washington may more accurately reflect his reputation in the sport. Joe Anzalone, president and CEO of Magic Cap Stables, gave the 39-year-old jockey credit for the horse’s torrid improvement in 2025. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports “He’s six, but he only found himself at maybe five and a half,” Anzalone said. “He was just lost for the longest time and other jockeys forced him to do things he didn’t want to do. Junior said, ‘I’m going to do what he wants to do.’ ” Since his first ride aboard Shug McGaughey’s 6-year-old in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational in January, Alvarado and Fort Washington have won two Grade 3 races and now add a Grade 1 triumph to a burgeoning résumé. The horse has gone off at 5-1 odds in each of his stakes victories this year, consistently proving many bettors wrong as he continues to improve. “He’s the kind of horse that runs the way I ride,” Alvarado said. “We both get along and it just works.” In his most recent starts, Fort Washington has managed to stay closer to the early leaders, but his performance in the Arlington Million was a marked return to his old form. The hard-knocking horse bumped with European shipper Cairo out of the gate and quickly settled at the back of the field, six lengths behind early leader Time Song through an opening quarter-mile in 23.94 seconds. Content to sit last in the field of seven, Alvarado and Fort Washington were 7 1/2 lengths back by the time Jonathan Thomas’s gelding kicked away to complete the half-mile in 48.36. With an honest pace out in front in the 1 1/4-mile race, the strongest move at the end was always going to prove out. When Time Song and Mystik Dan, the 2024 Kentucky Derby winner tracking in second, began to give ground around the far turn, Fort Washington quickly moved into contention alongside Integration, his heavily favored stablemate, and Grand Sonata, a 6-year-old horse trained by Todd Pletcher. Integration and jockey John Velazquez were closer to the pace early and stuck a head in front while circling rivals, but Grand Sonata and Tyler Gaffalione quickly took over with a rail-skimming ride up the rail. Fort Washington bumped Cairo again while traveling widest of the three, but he kept on for the lead when Integration yielded. As Gaffalione urged Grand Sonata forward with plenty left near the wire, it seemed like Pletcher’s 12-1 longshot was going to outlast McGaughey’s pair when Fort Washington mustered one final bid. It was a dramatic finish between three strong closers, but Alvarado never doubted the final result. “I knew I got the horse,” Alvarado said. “When I was turning for home, I knew he was going to give me the kick that he always does. I know the distance was perfect for him today.” With a perfectly timed last-to-first trip, Fort Washington prevailed by a half-length, completing the 1 1/4-mile race in 1:59.58 and paying $13.40 to win. Fort Washington earned a career-high 99 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory. Along with Sovereignty’s Triple Crown victories and a winning ride on World Beater in the Saratoga Derby Invitational earlier this month, Alvarado now has four Grade 1 victories in 2025. It was McGaughey’s first victory in the Arlington Million after a runner-up finish with Integration last year. Grand Sonata was denied his first graded stakes victory despite a perfect trip from Gaffalione, finishing second by three-quarters of a length over Integration, the 3-5 favorite who came up just short for McGaughey again. Mystik Dan was far from disgraced in his turf debut for Kenny McPeek, finishing 2 1/4 lengths behind Integration in fourth. Anzalone and Magic Cap will leave Fort Washington’s future in McGaughey’s hands, though the connections can’t help but dream as the late-blooming runner keeps moving forward. A trip to the Breeders’ Cup, once as far away as the moon on their silks, is suddenly within reach as their new Grade 1 winner develops an increasingly successful connection with one of the hottest jockeys in North America. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.