Flying Continental Rallies, Wins Gold Cup

Flying Continental charged into the lead 50 yards from the wire Saturday and won the $838,500 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

The 4-year-old colt, racing in the East for the first time, took the lead from De Roche and beat him by a neck after 1 1/4 miles at Belmont Park in 2:00 3/5.

The victory snapped the eight-race winning streak of Izvestia, the winner of Canada’s triple crown.

In a pair of stakes for 2-year-olds, Meadow Star remained unbeaten in five races with a spectacular 14-length victory in the $285,00 Frizette for fillies, while Fly So Free scored an upset in the $636,000 Champagne for colts. In that race, favored Deposit Ticket finished last in a 13-horse field.

Flying Continental, ridden by Corey Black, was sixth after three-quarters of a mile and fourth after a mile.

The winner then charged down the middle of the stretch to blow by eventual third-place finisher Izvestia, then nail De Roche inside the sixteenth pole for his third victory in six starts this year in a race that served as a prep for the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, Oct. 27 at Belmont.

Izvestia, ridden by Craig Perret, took the lead before the half-mile pole, then gave it up to De Roche, ridden by Angel Cordero Jr., at the quarter pole.

Flying Continental, who carried 126 pounds, returned $12.20, $6 and $3.60 and earned $503,100. The win pushed his earnings for 1990 past $1 million.

De Roche returned $8.20 and $3, while Izvestia paid $2.40.

Lay Down, Thirty Six Red and Steinlen, making only his second start on the dirt in 44 races, completed the order of finish.