Stakes win for Maragh

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (CMC):

Jamaican jockey Rajiv Maragh brought 13-1 long shot Caleb's Posse with a late stretch run to capture the feature CAN$150,000 Grade II Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga racetrack here Monday.

Trailing for most of the 1300 metres trip, the 26-year-old roused the three-year-old bay colt at the top of the stretch and he unleashed a furious turn of pace to overhaul the leaders and reach the wire four lengths clear in a time of one minute, 15.88 seconds.

"It seemed like there was some speed in the race. My horse is definitely a closer. I was just hoping not to get disconnected early and have enough late to run," Maragh said afterward.

"I didn't want to stop his momentum at all. I felt like I had a lot of horse and I just didn't want to get impeded by any means, so I took him to the clear and he kicked home really strong."

Favourite Arch Traveler and To Honor and Serve hauled the field through the quarter-mile with a brisk gallop in 22.45 seconds, with Caleb's Posse trailing at this stage in the seven-horse field.

At the half-mile, Arch Traveler, To Honor and Serve and Justin Phillip were locked in a tight battle for the lead as Maragh tucked Caleb's Posse into fourth at the top of the turn.

With a furlong to run, Maragh brought the colt with a thundering run down the middle of the track, brushing aside his rivals to win easily.

Caleb's Posse has now won three times this year, having previously captured the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park in January and the Grade III Ohio Derby at Thistledown in June.