Horse Betting World

Check the Label Makes it Four in Row in Garden City

By Michael Dempsey

Check the Label extended her winning streak to four with an authoritative victory in Saturday’s $250,000 Garden City (G1) at Belmont Park.

Making her first start for new owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables, the three-year-old filly raced at the back of the pack in the early going, had to wait for some running room nearing the three-eighths, came three wide into the stretch, took charge with a furlong to go, and held off the late running Snow Top Mountain by three-quarters of a length.

The filly, under a stellar ride form jockey Ramon Dominguez, returned $4.00, stopping the timer for the nine furlongs on 1:51.41 over a turf course labeled as yielding.

“On soft ground like this, it’s very difficult to make up that kind of ground and she just overcame all the trouble,” said Dominguez. “She gave me a great kick.”

The Jacksons’ purchased the talented filly privately after taking the Virginia Oaks (G3) at Colonial Downs on July 13, and it paid immediate dividends, as the new owners picked up a $150,000 check and now have a Grade 1 winning filly in their barn.

Her winning streak started with a victory in the Appalachian (G3) at Keeneland in April under jockey Julien Leparoux, followed by wins in the Sands Point (G2) and Virginia Oaks, both under Dominguez.

The filly has now has a career mark of 13-6-2-1 with earnings of $491,227.

Snow Top Mountain finished in the runner up spot for the fifth straight time, although she was placed first via a disqualification in the Arlington Park Oaks (G3) on July 3.

The $2 exacta returned $18.40, with Gitchee Goomie completing a $108.50 trifecta.

Graham Motion trains the winner, who earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure for her victory, which puts her a few notches below the top older females that are targeting the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5.

The filly has not faced older in her career, and Motion indicated she might not make it to Churchill Downs, instead possibly racing in the Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 16.

Dominguez came right back on Sunday and took the $100,000 Noble Damsel (G3) with Strike the Bell.

The four-year-old filly went the one mile on the turf in 1:34.58 over ground labeled as good, returning backers $10.80 as the co-second choice in the field of eight.

The favorite Quiet Meadow completed a $37.80 exacta, with Scolara landing third, the trifecta paying $120.50.

The stakes action continues on Saturday at Belmont Park with the $150,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2) for fillies and mares who will go six ½ furlongs on the main track.