(From track report)
Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan won the first three races on Wednesday's card at Belmont Park en route to a five-win day.
As big a day as Wednesday was, it was not Bridgmohan's best. Bridgmohan is one of 12 jockeys to have ridden six winners in one day on a New York card, accomplishing that feat on February 15, 1998 when he won with six of his nine mounts.
Bridgmohan, a 23-year-old native of Jamaica who grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., began his five-win day Wednesday with victories on Showtime ($12.20) in the first; Kalki's Pride ($15.40) in the second and Rhythmic Motion ($8.30) in the third.
His first favorite of the day, Liquid Icon, lost the fourth race, but Bridgmohan came back to win the seventh race with My Cousin Matt, who returned $8.10.
Bridgmohan then won the last race, the ninth, coming wide with favored Robbie's Rockin ($5.90) on the turn to win his fifth race in nine mounts.
"They were all running today, which is the greatest thing," Bridgmohan said. "They all put you in the spot where you want to be; all I had to do was steer them out of trouble. [Trainer] David Donk's horse on the grass (Rhythmic Motion, third race) kind of broke slow and I had to ride him the whole way. Once I found him some race room, he got really motivated and kicked in.
"It feels great winning this many races. It makes you feel good. It doesn't matter to me where you win, it's just good to win. It always helps to win to get your confidence up. This weekend is a very big weekend for me."
Bridgmohan will ride Evening Attire in Saturday's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I).
The five victories gave Bridgmohan 14 for Belmont Park's Fall Championship Meet, moving him into a tie for third place with Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey. John Velazquez (25 wins) and Edgar Prado (18 wins) occupy by top two places in the standings heading into Thursday's card.
