Maragh doubles up at Saratoga

SARATOGA SPRINGS,

New York (CMC):

Jamaican reinsman Rajiv Maragh produced similar rides to carve out two wins on the nine-race card at Saratoga Racetrack on Friday.

Maragh opened the day's proceedings with a win aboard Matt's a Giant and then returned in race eight to carry Splendid Behaviour to victory.

The brace carried the 25-year-old Maragh into double figures in the jockeys' standings on 10 wins, but he is already 13 wins adrift of leader John Velazquez.

Going 5 1/2 furlongs, Maragh got Matt's a Giant away nicely to track the leaders Kingsdale Ocean and Crowned General through fractions of 22.61 seconds and 45.44 seconds.

Maragh asked the eight-year-old gelding for more in the upper stretch and he responded well, grabbing the lead near the 16th pole before getting home by a length in one minute, 2.79 seconds.

The young rider then picked up his second win over 6 1/2 furlongs, slamming the three-year-olds and upward by 7 1/4 lengths.

Bad start

Splendid Behaviour survived a bad start to quickly make up ground and hound leader Humilarity, who set busy fractions of 21.36 seconds and 44.60 seconds.

Maragh urged on the three-year-old gelding after coming through the top of the stretch and the 16-1 bet drew off handsomely to win easily.

Meanwhile, at Woodbine on Friday, Barbadian jockey Jono Jones rode a rare brace, winning the last two races on the day's nine-race card.

The 34-year-old, who has hardly set the new season alight with just 34 wins, won with the three-year-old gelding Cavalierdancer and then returned to close out the day's action with another victory aboard the 4-1 bet Mancini's Silver.

Despite his success, Jones is still languishing in ninth in the jockeys' standings, already 58 wins off leader Brazilian Eurico Da Silva.

Jones kicked off his brace going a mile on turf, breaking Cavalierdancer along the rails and positioning him in mid-pack as Shoptilyoudrop set the early fractions.

As the race turned for home, Jones angled the favourite to the outside, overhauled leaders Naught For Knots and Trajectory's Dream to reach the wire 1 1/4 lengths clear in a time of one minute, 35.61 seconds.

Going 1 1/16th miles next up, Jones and Mancini's Silver forced the pace set by Kinnaird and Trinidadian Emile Ramsammy, turning the event into a two-horse race.