Easy Goer Rebounds With an Easy Victory

Easy Goer called the tune at Belmont Park on the nation’s Yankee Doodle holiday.

Given a breather by jockey Pat Day midway through the final turn, Easy Goer won the Suburban Handicap by 3 3/4 lengths over De Roche.

Rebounding from a third-place finish to Criminal Type and Housebuster in the Metropolitan Handicap in May, Easy Goer punched his ticket for a trip to Chicago on Aug. 4.

There he will confront Sunday Silence, his Triple Crown rival of last year, in a special invitational. Criminal Type, who recently beat both horses, will also be entered.

“I’ll have confidence (going into the Arlington Park race),” trainer Shug McGaughey said of Easy Goer.

“Criminal Type did beat us, but if Easy Goer trains well I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t go out and run his race. One good thing is that he won’t be giving away all that weight.”

Easy Goer carried 126 pounds on a hot muggy Wednesday and spotted six rivals from 12 to 18 pounds, then beat them in 2:00 for the 1 1/4 miles.

Day sent Easy Goer into the lead in the one-mile race over Le Foyageur before the race was three-quarters of mile over. When it appeared Easy Goer might draw away, Day, looking over his shoulder a couple of times, took a hold on him.

With a quarter of a mile remaining, Easy Goer was 1 1/2 lengths ahead, then stretched out to his 3 3/4-length winning margin as Day tapped him twice in the stretch.

“Bring them (Sunday Silence and Criminal Type) on,” Day said. “It should be a good race.”

Easy Goer, owned by Ogden Phipps, paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.20. De Roche, 113, ridden by Angael Cordero, returned $3 and $2.10. Montubio, 113, ridden by Jacinto Vasquez, finished another 1 3/4 lengths back and paid $2.10.

Completing the order of finish were Tricky Creek, Whiz Along, Rampart Road and Le Voyageur.

Easy Goer’s second triumph in three starts this year and 14th in 20 career races was worth $239,400 from a purse of $399,000 and boosted his bankroll to $4,873,770.