Rajiv Maragh

ELMONT, New York (CMC): Jamaican jockey Rajiv Maragh produced a stirring come-from-behind effort with favourite Artemis Agrotera to edge pacesetter La Verdad by a head, and win the US$300,000 Grade II Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park on Saturday.

Trailing by nine lengths through the first quarter, Maragh brought Artemis Agrotera with a thunderous late run in the stretch, rushing through on the outside to catch La Verdad on the wire, in a time of one minute, 15.49 seconds.

The victory was the third added money triumph for the three-year-old billy filly who took the Grade I Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga last month and the Grade I Frizette at Belmont Park last year.

Maragh said despite getting up in time, Artemis Agrotera had not been comfortable with her positioning early on, especially with a torrid pace set in the race.

Confidence

"She really didn't enjoy being that far back. Early on, I tried to keep her in her rhythm. I had a lot of confidence in her and tried to be a good passenger and let her finish strong," he explained.

"I assumed they were going that fast because my filly is naturally quick, and if she's 10 lengths off the lead La Verdad had to be going fast to be that far in front of her.

"In the stretch, my filly found a second wind and a third wind. Even if she had run second or third it would have been a good performance. It shows what kind of filly she is to get up and win the race from where she was."

La Verdad broke smartly and rushed to the lead, streaking through the first quarter in a frenetic 21.91 seconds to open up a two-length advantage on the field. At this stage, Artemis Agrotera and Willet trailed the field by five lengths, but were nine off the pacesetter.

La Verdad was three lengths clear at the half-mile covered in a brisk 43.78 and held sway turning for home, with the field in pursuit.

However, Maragh swept Artemis Agrotera into the stretch five wide and the filly exploded to reel in the field under a busy left-handed whip.