With the slow pace of the 124^th running of the $250,000 Dinner Party (G3), nearly the entire field ran in quarters tight and slow up the backstretch going the first three-quarters of a mile over Pimlico’s turf course. 

More than fifty seconds ticked by for the opening half-mile, 1:15.76 for six furlongs.

Aboard Fort Washington, jockey Junior Alvarado, at a disadvantage was forced to go wide through the entire turn for home.  Alvarado finally found that position his friend coming out of the turn with energy and room to run forward on the outside to prevail by a length covering the mile and an eighth in 1:54.20.

“When he turned for home, he had a beautiful, nice kick,” Alvarado said.  “I think we were going slow.  I think it was more slow than normal.  From the half-mile pole, I was completely loaded.  I knew what I had underneath me at that point.”

Alvarado senses that Fort Washington is maturing, adding the Dinner Party to the $165,000 Canadian Turf Stakes(G3) at Gulfstream Park on March 1 in his last start. 

“What I was happy about my horse was that he was in the bridle,” added Alvarado.  “He has never been in the bridle like that before.”

Fort Washington is trained by Claude “Shug” McGaughey and owned by Magic Cap Stables.  The six-year-old is sired by War Front out of the French-bred mare Azaelia.  The win was the sixth win of his career in 26 starts and the first time he has won consecutive starts in his career.  Alvarado has been aboard for the last three starts. 

Fort Washington, who paid $12.00 to win, has earned nearly $725,000.