J'can Maragh wins First Lady Stakes
CMC
Monday, October 12, 2009
LEXINGTON, Kentucky (CMC) - Jamaican jockey Rajiv Maragh completed a handsome added-money weekend double when he piloted the five-year-old mare Diamondrella to victory at the First Lady Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday afternoon.
Diamondrella, a 5-to-2 second favourite, won the US$400,000 one-mile event on turf by three-quarters of a length just 24 hours after Maragh had won Friday's Darley Alcibiades Stakes.
Trained by Angel Penna, Diamondrella clocked one minute, 38.66 seconds in victory.
Making her first start for new owners IEAH Stables, Britain-bred Diamondrella was the strongest finisher - under a superb ride from Maragh - among a four-horse rush to the winning post.
The 32-1 outsider Hotlantic set a brisk pace early but weakened badly in the final furlong.
Until straightening for home, Diamondrella had lagged well back, with the favourite Forever Together (6-5) just behind her.
Diamondrella - with a finishing burst four wide - snatched victory over the 11-1 bet Tizaqueena with Forever Together a further three-quarters of a length further back in third.
Jamaican jockey Shaun Bridgmohan rode the 72-1 outsider Cure for Sale into fourth place, just two lengths behind the winner.
Maragh has 24 added-money wins so far this season and is the No 6 rider on the mounts' earnings list in North America with a whopping US$10.08 million. Maragh narrowly missed out on a second stakes win Saturday when he lost the US$600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile aboard Karelian by a nose to the 5-1 bet Court Vision under jockey Robby Albarado.
Court Vision engaged early leader Karelian in a stirring duel down the homestretch and at the end was just a shade in front of Karelian, who was racing for the first time in 10 months.
On Friday, Maragh spectacularly captured the US$500,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes with the two-year-old bay filly Negligee.
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CMC
Monday, October 12, 2009
LEXINGTON, Kentucky (CMC) - Jamaican jockey Rajiv Maragh completed a handsome added-money weekend double when he piloted the five-year-old mare Diamondrella to victory at the First Lady Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday afternoon.
Diamondrella, a 5-to-2 second favourite, won the US$400,000 one-mile event on turf by three-quarters of a length just 24 hours after Maragh had won Friday's Darley Alcibiades Stakes.
Trained by Angel Penna, Diamondrella clocked one minute, 38.66 seconds in victory.
Making her first start for new owners IEAH Stables, Britain-bred Diamondrella was the strongest finisher - under a superb ride from Maragh - among a four-horse rush to the winning post.
The 32-1 outsider Hotlantic set a brisk pace early but weakened badly in the final furlong.
Until straightening for home, Diamondrella had lagged well back, with the favourite Forever Together (6-5) just behind her.
Diamondrella - with a finishing burst four wide - snatched victory over the 11-1 bet Tizaqueena with Forever Together a further three-quarters of a length further back in third.
Jamaican jockey Shaun Bridgmohan rode the 72-1 outsider Cure for Sale into fourth place, just two lengths behind the winner.
Maragh has 24 added-money wins so far this season and is the No 6 rider on the mounts' earnings list in North America with a whopping US$10.08 million. Maragh narrowly missed out on a second stakes win Saturday when he lost the US$600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile aboard Karelian by a nose to the 5-1 bet Court Vision under jockey Robby Albarado.
Court Vision engaged early leader Karelian in a stirring duel down the homestretch and at the end was just a shade in front of Karelian, who was racing for the first time in 10 months.
On Friday, Maragh spectacularly captured the US$500,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes with the two-year-old bay filly Negligee.
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