Jamaican Shaun Bridgmohan brought favourite Ninety One Assault with a gallant late run to win the US$100 000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf Stakes at Fair Grounds last weekend.
Going a mile and sixteenth for the three-year-olds and upward, Bridgmohan raced the seven-year-old bay gelding in mid-pack before switching to the outside in the stretch run to reel in the leaders inside the final metres, to win by a length in a time of one minute, 46.86 seconds.
Afleet Ascent and Guitar Tribute, who disputed the lead for most of the contest, finished second and third respectively, with only half-length separating them.
For Bridgmohan, the win was his fourth in five rides aboard the Thomas Morley-trained gelding who has now won five times in 29 starts.
Described as a difficult horse to ride, Bridgmohan said he believed he had finally understood him.
“Once I figured him out, he makes my job easy. He just has an eighth of a mile run,” said Bridgmohan afterwards.
Guitar Tribute and Afleet Ascent pulled a main group of five horses through the quarter in 24.20 seconds and the half in 50.81 seconds, with Brigmohan two lengths back in sixth aboard Ninety One Assault leading a second group.
Bridgmohan only roused the gelding when the race turned for home and a seam opened up at the top of the stretch to provide them with racing room.
Afleet Ascent still led with a furlong to run but was caught soon after by the impressive Ninety Nine Assault who hit the wire full of energy.
Bridgmohan lies fifth in the winter meet at the southern American oval which got underway November 26, but is only three off leader Mitchell Murrill.
CMC
