Wertheimer and Frere's heavily favored Go Deputy held off a desperate late rally by Crown Point on Saturday to win the $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap (gr. II) at 1 3/8 miles on the Belmont Park inner turf course by a half-length.
As 8-year-old Gigli set a crawling pace of :24.68; :53.94; 1:19 .01 and 1:42.62, Go Deputy and jockey Fernando Jara stalked from third and, at the quarter-pole, took to the lead. Jara got into his mount left-handed, as Crown Point began to launch his rally. Go Deputy dug in and won the 11-furlong event in 2:17.49.
In winning his first graded stakes race, Go Deputy carried top weight of 117 pounds in the five-horse Bowling Green.
A 6-year-old son of Deputy Minister, Go Deputy is trained by Todd Pletcher, who was at Delaware Park on Saturday where he won the Delaware Oaks (gr. II) with Adieu and the Robert G. Dick Memorial Breeders' Cup with Honey Ryder.
Pletcher assistant Seth Benzel said Go Deputy might go next in the $500,000 Sword Dancer (gr. IT) at Saratoga Aug. 12.
It was the fourth winner of the afternoon for Jara.
"There were only five horses in the race, so I tried to have a good trip," Jara said. "It was a big day."
Go Deputy returned $3.40, $2.30, and $2.10 for his fifth win in 15 career starts. He earned $90,000 to increase his bankroll to $363,120. Crown Point returned $6.30 and $3.60. Leadwithyourchin, three lengths farther behind in third, paid $3.30 for show. Gigli and Rochester trailed.
Request for Parole and main-track only Take the Bluff were scratched.
(Chart,
Equibase)
