The progressive Majid negotiated the jump into stakes company with aplomb, leading past every pole to make Saturday's Easy Goer S. his fourth consecutive victory.
Hustled away from gate five by Luis Saez, Majid dropped down onto what has been a golden rail and got an opening couple of furlongs in :23.70 while chased by Alwaysmining. Galloping along evenly through the middle stages, Majid turned them in with a clear advantage and although he never switched over onto his correct lead until the eighth pole, managed to hold sway to the line. Still Dreaming rallied inside and crossed the line second, but was deemed to have come out and bothered Alwaysmining in the waning strides. Stewards ruled there was enough interference to merit the disqualification of Still Dreaming to fourth.
Unplaced and well beaten in a single appearance each for Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox, Majid defeated $30,000 maidens at Aqueduct Jan. 27 in his first start for the Rudy Rodriguez barn. The bay had upset his last two going a one-turn mile, first at 27-1 at Laurel Mar. 24 and at 13-1 at this venue May 10.
The seventh stakes winner for his sire, Majid was sold in utero for $20,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. He repaid that bill and then some when hammering for $210,000 at Keeneland September two years later and fetched $295,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale.
EASY GOER S., $145,500, Belmont, 6-8, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:41.55, ft.
1–MAJID, 119, c, 3, by Shackleford
1st Dam: Jessamine, by Mineshaft
2nd Dam: Trixie Chick, by Favorite Trick
3rd Dam: Royal Weekend, by Secretariat
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. ($210,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP; $295,000 2yo '18 FTFMAR). O-Zayat Stables, LLC; B-Forever Spring Farm Syndicate (KY); T-Rudy R Rodriguez; J-Luis Saez. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-0, $171,805.
2–Grumps Little Tots, 116, g, 3, Sky Mesa–W W American, by Quiet American. ($37,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Michael Dubb, Coyle Boys Stable and Bethlehem Stables LLC; B-Clearsky Farms (KY); T-Jason Servis. $30,000.
*3–Alwaysmining, 121, g, 3, Stay Thirsty–What Will Be, by Anees. ($32,000 Ylg '17 KEEJAN; $130,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Runnymede Racing LLC; B-Avla Pitts (MD); T-Kelly Rubley. $18,000.
Margins: 1, 3/4, 4. Odds: 5.30, 8.70, 1.00.
Also Ran: Still Dreaming, Outshine. Scratched: Dream Maker.
*Still Dreaming finished second but was disqualified and placed fourth.
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