Maragh lands Aqueduct stakes

QUEENS, New York (CMC):

Jamaican Rajiv Maragh brought 9-1 choice Small Bear with a searing late run to narrowly win the $150,000 Gio Ponti Stakes at Aqueduct last Friday.

Innocuous for most of the mile and sixteenth trip, the Jeremiah Englehart-trained roan gelding caught the leaders in the dying yards to snatch the win by a neck, in time of one minute, 42.79 seconds.

"The main thing that Jeremiah said to me was when it's time to go, get him in the clear," Maragh said afterwards.

"I had an opportunity where I could probably squeeze him into a tight spot along the inside, but that's not his preferred running style. He's much more effective on the outside, so I kind of went out of my way a little bit just to put myself into the clear when I was ready to make my move."

Up against his fellow three-year-olds, Small Bear raced down on the inside in fourth as favourite Secretary At War hammered out splits of 24.77 seconds for the quarter and 49.40 for the half-mile, with Bootlegger and Hieroglyphics chasing.

As the race swung for home, Secretary At War still led but was caught at the sixteenth pole by the fast-travelling Funtastic.

Maragh then rallied Small Bear down the middle of the track and got up late to catch Funtastic.

The victory was the gelding's fourth in 12 starts, but first on turf in four outings.