HALLANDALE BEACH, Florida,– Edgard Zayas produced a stalking ride aboard 8-5 favorite Blind Spot to deliver the feature US$65 000 Our Dear Peggy Stakes for Barbadian trainer Saffie Joseph Jr at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Florida on Saturday.
Going a mile and 70 yards in race nine, the 28-year-old Puerto Rican combined with the roan to beat the two-year-old fillies by three-quarters of a length in a time of one minute, 32.21 seconds.
For Joseph, the win was one of two on the 11-race card staged on the penultimate weekend of the campaign.
His other win came courtesy of another Zayas effort in race three, this time the talented rider steering favorite Tamarindo to a three-quarter length win over the three-year-old and upward maiden fillies and mares.
Going a mile and sixteenth, 10-1 choice Cross Fleet made the running while being chased by longshots Gyurza and Ines’s Hat, with Zayas sitting Tamarindo just off the pace.
Tamarindo made excellent progress on the turn, picked up the running approaching the sixteenth pole, and then held off her challengers in the lane.
In the feature, Zayas broke Blind Spot sharply but then reined her in, allowing Via Via, Jellybean, and Dropkick Queen to battle for the lead through the first quarter run in 24.21 seconds.
Via Via then took the field to the half in 49.69 with Stephanie’s Charm joining the fray at the front but Zayas still took Blind Spot in hand.
Zayas attacked approaching the turn and was third behind the dueling Via Via and Stephanie’s Charm at the top of the stretch. He found an extra gear, however, and the filly breezed past the leaders to reach the wire first.
Joseph holds a huge lead in the trainers’ championship and will be crowned champion of the summer campaign next weekend.
CMC
