It isn’t unusual for jockeys to travel long distances for significant Grade 1 races.

How many times have we seen Flavien Prat or Irad Ortiz Jr. ride Saturday in New York only to jet out for a classy Santa Anita mount 24 hours later?

It is uncommon for jockeys to trek for one race when said heat is a first-level allowance with a $49,000 purse at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf on a Friday afternoon at Laurel Park.

Jean Alvelo is an uncommon jockey, and Tall Order is an unusual horse.

Alvelo, a mainstay at Laurel Park from 2022 through 2024 – he won 73 races here during his first full season – now rides and resides in Puerto Rico, but he can’t resist trainer Gina Perri’s siren song regarding Tall Order.

Alvelo flew in to steer Tall Order, got his picture taken after the tenth race, and will rest comfortably at home tomorrow night.

“Patience” was the word Perri used to describe Alvelo’s relationship with Tall Order, a 5-year-old gelding unbeaten from three starts under the rider.  “He waits. [Tall Order] loves Alvelo. Jean knows him well. I fly him out just for this horse. He’s on the plane back tomorrow morning.”

After rallying from off the pace to win his final two starts of 2024, both at the 5 ½ furlong distance over Laurel’s turf course, Tall Order ran once in January, finishing seventh in a second-level allowance over Turfway’s Tapeta surface before being freshened for the remainder of the winter.

“He’s a big horse,” Perri said, “He needs a little break [here and there].”

Although Perri says that Tall Order is a “sweet horse,” it’s possible that he is a bit of a showman at heart. He won those two races at Laurel last year by a neck and a nose, respectively. Today, he powered to the lead in midstretch and outlasted Toolpusher to prevail by a neck in 1:03.08 over firm going.

“He likes to wait until the last second and give us all a heart attack,” quipped Perri, who said that Tall Order will likely try to advance through his remaining conditions in future outings