Maragh lands NY Stallion Stakes
Jamaican jockey Rajiv Maragh was at his clinical best as he partnered with 7-2 chance Bee Noteworthy to dominate the US$125,000 New York Stallion Series Stakes at Aqueduct on Sunday.
Going seven furlongs in race eight, the 32-year-old Maragh raced the five-year-old bay mare off the pace before unleashing a furious stretch rally to breeze by the leaders and reached the wire five-and-a-quarter lengths clear in a time of one minute, 25.36 seconds.
“There seemed to be a few potential speed horses in there, and for our style, the faster the better,” said Maragh who was riding Bee Noteworthy for the seventh straight race.
“It was an honest pace, and I just felt confident that if she showed her best run, she would be right there. She surpassed my expectations with such a big kick.”
STARVED FOR RACING
Breaking from post number one, Maragh was starved for racing room early on as Behrnik’s Bank posted splits of 23.69 seconds and 46.89, with Wonderment glued to her flank and Bluegrass Jamboree stalking from third.
Bee Noteworthy was down along the rails in fifth, almost dropping back to join Frosty Margarita in last position on the far turn, in the six-horse field .
When the race swung for home, Maragh was still boxed in but a seam opened up along the rails and he darted the mare through it, storming to the front to leave the field of three-year-old and upward fillies and mares in his wake.
The victory was one of two on the nine-race card for Maragh as he also won race six, when he carried 7-1 chance Great Stuff to a length-win over the three-year-old and upwards, going a mile.