Clinical Bridgmohan seals American Derby
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Illinois (CMC) — Jamaican Shaun Bridgmohan produced a clinical ride to guide 4-1 bet Cozzetti to capture the US$200,000 American Derby at Arlington Park on Saturday.
Boxed in for most of the 1-3/16th mile trip, Bridgmohan found a seam along the rails in the deep stretch and slipped the three-year-old gray through to get him up to win by a neck in a time of one minute, 57.42 seconds.
The win was the second victory in ten starts for the Dale Romans-trained colt, but his first added-money after coming up short in the Tampa Derby, the Arkansas Derby, the Preakness and the Oliver Stakes.
“He was a game horse. We intended to go around at the eighth-pole,” said Bridgmohan.
“The horse on the rail drifted a little bit, so I went back down on the inside. It was a little tight but he was game and he pulled through.”
Five-to-one bet All Stormy, with Robby Albarado aboard, set the early fractions of 24.74 seconds for the quarter-mile and 50.56 seconds for the half-mile, with Skyring a length back in second and Cozzetti a further length back in third along the fence.
At the eighth pole, Bridgmohan tried to get his horse out to position him for the stretch run but Skyring kept the colt trapped along the rails.
In the stretch, All Stormy still led but Bridgmohan guided Cozzetti through the smallest of openings and the gray responded with a gallant run in the final metres to snatch victory.
The victory was one two on the day’s card for Bridgmohan who also took the $42,000 race four with 20-1 outsider Fire Tricks.
Bridgmohan also finished third in the $65,000 Coach Jimi Lee Stakes, the day’s opener on the 12-race card.