Bridgmohans in thrilling finish

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Illinois (CMC):

Jermaine Bridgmohan upstaged his elder brother Shaun to capture the US$100,000 feature Arlington Sprint Handicap on Saturday at Arlington Park.

Jermaine steered the 6-1 chance Havelock to victory by a neck over 2-1 favourite Country Day, under Shaun, in the eighth race of 10 on the card.

Havelock, a four-year-old bay gelding, dashed 1,100 metres on the turf in one minute, 02.71 seconds - a mere 82 hundredths of a second outside the three-year-old track record.

The victory was Jermaine's second stakes win for the year in North America, and second in three days, following his capture of the Indiana Downs Distaff Stakes to bring the curtain down on the season at Indiana Downs.

"I'd do it again in the next race if I could," said the 23-year-old Jamaican, when asked how it felt to photo out his brother, nine years his senior.

Havelock exchanged some contact with Yankee Injunuity, under E.T. Baird, in the opening stages before Jermaine shifted him out to race in fifth position off the second flight of horses down the backstretch, while staying in the clear a few paths off the fence.

Jermaine steadily advanced his mount to within striking distance; racing four-wide midway through the turn, but front-runner Birdie Beats Par gave way at the top of the stretch to Country Day, who appeared to be on the way to victory at the eighth pole.

Country Day, making his first start since October, tired in the final half-furlong, as Shaun later admitted, and Jermaine angled Havelock inwards to challenge for command three deep entering the upper stretch.

Havelock produced a solid late response to just edge Country Day in time under firm encouragement from Jermaine.

It was the first stakes victory for Havelock. He has now won his last two turf sprints, both at 1,100m, and is four-for-11 in his career.