OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The hot-riding Junior Alvarado has picked up the mount on Classy Class for next Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham Stakes. On Friday, Alvarado got acquainted with the 3-year-old colt, guiding him through a half-mile workout in 49.03 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.

The work was the one and only move Classy Class will have between his third-place finish in the Grade 3 Withers on Feb. 7 and the Gotham. Classy Class, working by himself, went his first quarter in 24.01 seconds and his second quarter in 25.02. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.24.

Trainer Jeff Bonde said this week that Distinctiv Passion, the winner of the Joe Hernandez Stakes on a wet-fast track last Sunday, will start in a graded stakes on dirt for sprinters in early April.

The champions American Pharoah and Beholder worked Friday at Santa Anita.

American Pharoah, the champion 2-year-old male of 2014, worked seven furlongs in 1:23.80. Trained by Bob Baffert, American Pharoah is scheduled to have his first start of the year March 14 in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Two horses listed as not sold for $500,000 and $400,000 at Monday’s Barretts select sale of 2-year-olds in Pomona will be sent to trainer Phil D’Amato in the spring, the trainer said Thursday.

A Hard Spun colt bought back for $500,000 by owner John Liviakis and a Street Sense filly bought back for $400,000 by owner Mark Martinez’s Agave Racing will have a 60-day break before being sent to Santa Anita, D’Amato said.

Imperative, the winner of the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic in West Virginia last April, will bypass the Santa Anita Handicap on March 7 in favor of the Charles Town Classic on April 18.

Imperative was sixth Feb. 7 in the San Antonio Stakes, finishing 9 1/2 lengths behind Shared Belief. Imperative is winless in seven starts since the 2014 Charles Town Classic.

CYPRESS, Calif. – With a little coaching via walkie-talkie, California Chrome worked five furlongs in 1:00 on Friday at Los Alamitos as he prepares for the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on March 28.

Exercise rider Anna Wells was aboard for the workout, replacing jockey Victor Espinoza, who has ridden California Chrome for a majority of his recent workouts. Wells, a stable rider for trainer Art Sherman, was fitted with a walkie-talkie, allowing assistant trainer Alan Sherman to communicate with her during the workout.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The Gulfstream Park stewards have suspended jockey Jose Ortiz for three days, beginning next Wednesday, for his ride aboard Upstart in last Saturday’s Fountain of Youth. The stewards disqualified Upstart from first to second in a controversial decision following his apparent victory over Itsaknockout in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth.

Trainer Mike Hushion has been hospitalized with “a serious health issue,” according to Barry Schwartz, one of Hushion’s primary owners and close friend.

Hushion, 66, was hospitalized in Florida on Feb. 19, according to Schwartz. Hushion on Friday was scheduled to be transferred to the University of Miami Medical Center, said Schwartz, who declined to elaborate on Hushion’s situation.

Schwartz said that Hushion’s daughter Casey is with him.

NEW ORLEANS – Veteran jockey Francisco Torres, who decided at the last minute to ride at Fair Grounds this season, is having a strong meet. Through Thursday, Torres stood in fourth place in the jockeys’ standings with 52 victories from 327 mounts.

Torres took advantage of the chance to reconnect with agent Derek Ducoing, who had been Rosie Napravnik’s agent in her run to four consecutive Fair Grounds riding titles.

NEW ORLEANS – Joe Sharp, who has been winning races at a high rate since going out on his own as a trainer six months ago, has kicked into overdrive recently at Fair Grounds.

From Feb. 12, when Whyalwaysme and Liberal Spin combined for a $250.80 Sharp exacta, through Thursday, the trainer sent out nine winners, seven runners-up, and two third-place finishers from 23 starters. The run included two other Sharp exactas and a race in which he saddled the winner and third-place finisher.