By ED FOUNTAINE
June 19, 2008
Jockey Jeffrey Sanchez has been suspended five days, June 21-25, for careless riding in the first race at Belmont last Sunday.
FIRST RACE: Tough trips for two horses in this mile-and-eighth allowance over inner turf. Fee Fi Fo Fum, 5-2 under Javier Castellano, fanned out very wide around first turn, circling past horses to take lead down backside, set pace to top of stretch, when 7-2 Impressionism, Edgar Prado up, after perfect, ground-saving trip tucked inside behind Fee Fi Fo Fum, looked to come through along rail. But when Fee Fi Fo Fum drifted in a bit, Impressionism had to hesitate for a few strides, then shot through hole in bid for lead mid-stretch. By then, 8-5 favorite Cherokee Queen, making her first start since breaking maiden over Keeneland Polytrack in April for Graham Motion, rallied in clear outside under John Velazquez and took command late, with Impressionism holding off Sentimental Union for second.
SEVENTH RACE: Going seven furlongs on Widener course, 8-5 favorite Ivory Star dueled for lead with 47-1 LD's Galaxy, opened daylight heading into turn, shook off bid from Blue Hill Bay to scoot clear again, but got swallowed up in final furlong as Seeing Clearly rallied to take lead under Castellano, then she was caught late by late charge of 5-2 Innovator, Mike Luzzi up.
EIGHTH RACE: Storm N Lightning, 15-1 in first start since Sept., set pace pressed by 6-1 Of All Times, Eibar Coa up. Those two dueled around turn to mid-stretch, when Of All Times kicked clear, then dug in to hold off oncoming rush of 7-1 Posted under Edgar Prado.
PICK SIX
Winning numbers: 7-4-11-7-9-9
No winners
33 consolation (5 of 6) winners paid $361
Carryover: $35,762
