Bridgmohan stages upset in Play The King Stakes

TORONTO, Canada (CMC):

Jamaican Jermaine Bridgmohan upset the field in the CAN$204,400 Play The King Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday, when he steered 18-1 longshot HAVELOCK to victory in a tense finish.

Bridgmohan kept the four-year-old bay gelding in striking distance throughout the seven furlong trip, before bringing him with a daring late run along the rails to get home by a head in one minute, 21.56 seconds.

At the 16th pole, FATAL BULLET held sway but HAVELOCK and RIDING THE RIVER on the outside, with Jamaican Richard Dos Ramos aboard, created a three-way dash to the wire.

"We had the inside post, but we didn't want to be inside," Bridgmohan said afterward.

"I tried to ease away but I saw an opportunity so I had to go back in there and it worked out in the end. I tried to wait as long as I could."

Trainer Darrin Miller hailed Bridgmohan's effort in ensuring the gelding made a successful debut outing at Woodbine.

"Jermaine, for whatever reason, gets along fantastic with this horse," Miller pointed out.

"He has not put a bad ride on him. Jermaine made the right call, putting him where he needed to be, called on him and the horse ran for him."

FATAL BULLET and jockey Emma Jayne Wilson set the pace in the event, hauling the field through an opening quarter in 22.96 seconds before completing the half-mile in 45.72.

In the stretch, FATAL BULLET clung to the lead chased by a bunch of rivals and it took Bridgmohan's genius to get HAVELOCK up in time.