Nic's Style perseveres for victory in City of Ocala

Junior Alvarado rode the odds-on favorite in both stakes Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs. Alvarado said he knew early on that neither Loco Abarrio nor Nic’s Style were handling the surface the way he had hoped.

While Loco Abarrio couldn’t overcome his struggles finishing last in the $100,000 Marion County division of the Florida Stallion Stakes, Nic’s Style’s class carried her to a 2 1/2-length victory in the $100,000 City of Ocala Stakes.

Racing fourth of five around the far turn, Nic’s Style took advantage of a huge opening along the rail turning for home and persevered to victory in the City of Ocala over the pacesetting R Disaster. It was 2 1/4 lengths back to Dream Concert in third. Beth’s Dream and Battle Cry completed the order of finish. Olga and Hopesndreams scratched.

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Nic’s Style typically shows speed in her races and breaking from the rail Saturday, Alvarado wanted to get away quickly and cleanly. Nic’s Style was away fourth of five and though relatively close to the pace, was behind horses chasing R Disaster early and then was behind Beth’s Dream and Dream Concert as well.

“She broke like she usually does and I thought I got the jump on [R Disaster] and I smooched to her to make sure,” Alvarado said. “I can feel her body trying and she wasn’t going anywhere. I rode a horse earlier which was a big favorite [Loco Abarrio] and he didn’t get a hold of the track. I thought, “Is this happening to me again?’ ”

Alvardo noted that in her lone career defeat to Ways and Means in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom, Nic’s Style was uncomfortable racing on the inside. She was on the inside again Saturday. The good news was when R Disaster turned for home under Pablo Morales, she came several paths wide leaving a gaping opening along the inside. Alvarado called on Nic’s Style and she chugged on through to get the victory.

Nic’s Style ($2.80), a 4-year-old daughter of Street Sense trained by Bill Mott for Stephen Rousseau, covered the seven furlongs in a stakes-record 1:21.84, eclipsing the previous mark of 1:22.40 set by Surprise Wedding in 2017.

“Her class got it done,” Alvarado said.

Nic’s Style has now won five of six starts and has now earned $328,400.

Marion County

In a scratch reduced field of four, Big Martini advanced to the lead after breaking third, put away pace-prompter Khozeiress in upper stretch and bounded clear to a two-length victory in the $100,000 Marion County division of the Florida Stallion Series.

Pure Class, last early, rallied for second, 4 1/4 lengths ahead of Khozeiress. Loco Abarrio, the 4-5 favorite, never fired, and finished last. Holiday Pay and Everdoit scratched.

It was the fourth win from 18 starts for Big Martini, who finished third in this race last year. Big Martini, a 4-year-old gelding by The Big Beast, covered the seven furlongs in 1:22.19 under Sonny Leon and returned $7.20 as the third choice. Big Martini is trained by Rohan Crichton for owners Daniel Walters and Dennis Smith.

Trainer Rohan Crichton credited Leon with taking the initiative and putting Big Martini into the race.

“Sonny seized an opportunity and I think he wanted to take away some of the fight out of Local Abarrio,” Crichton said. “I think he really likes Tampa. He ran a bang-up third in the same race last year.”

Noting that the Marion County was Big Martini’s third race in seven weeks, Crichton said “we might give him a couple of weeks before we figure out what we do next.”

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