Jockey Junior Alvarado is riding high into the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, knowing Sovereignty can almost surely earn Horse of the Year honors by adding the $7 million Longines Classic to previous successes in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes, Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets, Jim Dandy Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun, and DraftKings Travers Stakes.

Alvarado’s journey is made all the sweeter by memories of when life was not so sweet. He knows what it is to be broken physically. In 19 years since he arrived in the United States from his native Venezuela, he has required four shoulder surgeries, been sidelined for seven months by an ankle injury, broken his collarbone three times, fractured his back twice and suffered a severe concussion.

He also knows what it is to be all but broken mentally. After each physical setback, he struggled to rebuild his business. Even when he was healthy and winning, he found himself losing mounts to jockeys with greater reputations even though he had done nothing wrong.

“When they say, ‘We’re going for a stakes race now, we’re going to get somebody else,’ it’s hard to take,” Alvarado said. “You try to stay respectful and try not to say anything bad about the trainer who took you off or an owner who took you off a horse you just won with.”

He had received that news so many times he was in despair.

“We went through a lot mentally,” said Alvarado’s wife, Kelly. “He wanted to quit riding. He’s like, ‘This is not for me. I can’t do this anymore.’”

Aboard the great Cody’s Wish in 2022. (Eclipse Sportswire)

He considered purchasing a farm in Ocala, Fla., and taking a very different career path. He had so many roiling emotions and confusing thoughts.

As the 2021-2022 Gulfstream Park Championship Meet wound down, he made a painful call to his wife. He told her he planned to remain in Florida for a time and would not be able to rejoin her and their three children in New York as planned.

Kelly could not believe what she was hearing. “Our life is in New York,” she responded. “I moved here from Chicago. We’re raising our children in New York. What does that mean, you’re staying in Florida?”

While Alvarado is devoted to his family, he explained that he would do everything possible to obtain mounts in Florida once the elite jockeys left. He said of New York, “There is no business there. There is nothing for me there.”

Kelly describes that uncertain period in their lives as “mentally exhausting.” She contacted Ramon Dominguez, a retired Hall of Fame jockey, for advice.

“That’s the business. It’s all going to work out,” Dominguez told her. “Just keep looking forward. Just make sure Junior keeps looking forward and don’t give up.”

One mount can change everything. Or at least it did for Alvarado. Agent Mike Sellitto called to say that Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott had awarded him the mount on an improving colt named Cody’s Wish in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes at Belmont Park.

Alvarado capitalized on the opportunity with a five-length victory. Three starts later, he notched his first Breeders’ Cup victory aboard rallying Cody’s Wish in the Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile, a triumph that would be repeated on the way to Horse of the Year honors the following season.

Alvarado continued to roll with an ever-so-patient ride aboard late-charging Senor Buscador in the $20 million Saudi Cup early in the 2024 season and, before long, the strong relationship he built with Mott was rewarded when a magnificent horse named Sovereignty came along.

With Sovereignty in June at Saratoga. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Alvarado, 39, was so sure of the Godolphin homebred before the Kentucky Derby that he urged Kelly to arrange to bring their children – Adrian, 14; Adalyn, 10; and Axel, 6. His wife wasn’t so sure, noting how expensive it would be.

“This is my year,” Alvarado told her. “I’m going to win the Derby.”

He guided Sovereignty with the utmost confidence, staying remarkably cool through the mile-and-a-quarter classic even though his mount was far back through the opening three-quarters of a mile, sitting 17^th of 19.

Alvarado bided his time until he could wait no longer. Sovereignty responded to his call to action in a big way, rapidly picking off horses ahead of him one by one until only Santa Anita Derby winner Journalism remained. It was only a matter of time before he, too, yielded.

Kelly and the children rushed to the winner’s circle to celebrate the time of their lives. Alvarado has always ridden much more for his family than himself. That was never truer than that unforgettable afternoon at Churchill Downs.

“I wanted to give that experience to my kids,” Alvarado said. “When they grow up, they can always say, ‘We were right here in the winner’s circle. My dad won the Kentucky Derby.’ I want them to have that forever.”

Another huge race looms. The world’s finest horses will come together to test Sovereignty as perhaps never before in the Classic on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Kelly will be there. So will their children.