ROUNDUP : Buy The Firm Easily Wins Belmont Race

Buy The Firm, ridden by Jerry Bailey, pressed the pace into the stretch and pulled away for a two-length victory over Steady State in the $47,000 The Very One Handicap at Belmont Park Monday.

Steady State beat Sunny Roberta by 6 1/2 lengths in the 1 1/4-mile race for fillies and mares 3 years old and older. Simply Glorious was last in the four-horse field.

The victory was the fifth in 17 starts this year for Buy The Firm, who was timed in 2:04 and earned $28,200.

Buy The Firm returned $3.80 and $2.80. Steady State paid $3.20. There was no show betting.

Awesome Son made a three-wide move at the top of the stretch to get into contention and caught Hurricane Jackson in the final strides to post a neck-length victory in the featured $7,200 race at Freehold (N.J.) Raceway.

Driven by Joe Pavia Jr., Awesome Son paced the mile in 2:00 2/5 in winning his third consecutive race and 12th this year. It marked the fourth time in five starts that the gelding has won a photo finish at this meet.

Awesome Son paid $6, $3.80 and $2.80. Hurricane Jackson paid $4.60 and $3 and Jou Jous Time returned $3.