Bridgmohan lands Good Lord Stakes in triple

HENDERSON, Kentucky (CMC):

Jamaican Shaun Bridgmohan dominated the nine-race card at Ellis Park here Sunday, winning the feature US$50,000 ($6.5 million) Good Lord Stakes aboard favourite Majestic Affair in a handsome triple at the southern United States oval.

The 39-year-old produced a stalking ride aboard the six-year-old gelding before getting the better of the six-horse field in the stretch, and storming to the finish 1-1/4 lengths clear in a time of one minute, 15.41 seconds.

Six-to-one chance Shut the Box, who led briefly in the stretch, finished second, while 11-2 bet Control Stake crossed the wire third after also stalking early on.

Up against the three-year-olds in the 6-1/2 furlong event in race eight, Bridgmohan broke Majestic Affair nicely from the outside post and settled in behind the leaders, as 5-4 choice Smart Spree posted the early fractions.

In the stretch, Majestic Affair formed part of a quartet, which fanned out across the lane as Shut the Box, Control Stake and Smart Spree all bid.

However, Bridgmohan pulled away, while Shut the Box chased, but Majestic Affair had the better of the running and reached the wire strongly.

"He ran hard, he tried every step of the way. Down the lane, I just had to try to find him somewhere to go," Bridgmohan said afterwards.

"He got a little intimidated when the horse on the outside came up next to him, but as soon as I was able to get him to the outside he was more comfortable and finished really well. He ran really good."

The victory for the Brad Cox-trained Majestic Affair was his fourth added-money success and ninth win in 21 starts.

Bridgmohan had earlier won race four over a mile and sixteenth with favourite Katie's Reward, combining with the three-year-old bay filly to edge the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by a head in a gate-to-wire effort.

The experienced reinsman's other win came aboard another favourite, Maybe Wicked, in race five when he again made all the running with another three-year-old bay filly, to dismiss the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by three lengths.