Saturday, November 13, 2010
MEKONG MELODY MAGNIFICENT IN LONG
By Jon Forbes
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Mekong Melody took the shortest trip around the track and kicked clear after finding room in the upper stretch to register an impressive victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Long Island Handicap on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Looking to rebound off a 10th-place finish in the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor at Woodbine on October 16, Mekong Melody was angled over to the inside by jockey Alex Solis and rated under firm hold in third through a half-mile of 51.73.
After falling back to fourth along the backstretch, Mekong Melody continued to wait behind horses on the final turn, found a seam at the top of the lane, and drew away under a drive to prevail by 3 ¾ widening lengths over runner-up Daveron.
“I had a great trip,” said winning jockey Alex Solis. “I saved all the ground and in the stretch, I got lucky. I got a little opening there and when I asked her, she went through and finished very strong.”
Mekong Melody, the 7-2 third choice, returned $9.40 for a $2 win wager to her backers in the crowd of 4,132 and completed the 1 ½-mile journey in 2:30.74.
Owned by David Egan, Mekong Melody has now won four black-type events in her career, including triumphs earlier this year at Woodbine in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly on June 18 and the Flaming Page on September 26. Her trainer, Toronto-based Roger Attfield, has won four other stakes on the NYRA circuit in 2010: the Grade 2 New York on June 19 with Lady Shakespeare, the Grade 2 Lake George on July 28 with Perfect Shirl, the De La Rose on August 4 with Miss Keller, and the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational on October 2 with Ave.
Bred in
Tarrip edged Changing Skies, the 3-5 favorite, by a nose for third. Me Love and Sweet and Flawless completed the order of finish.
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