It’s Another $1-Million Upset Win for Borrego

Borrego, an upset winner in the Pacific Classic on Aug. 21 at Del Mar, won his second consecutive $1-million race Saturday with an easy victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in New York.

Last early under jockey Garrett Gomez behind a rapid pace -- 46 seconds for the first half-mile -- Borrego swept to the lead with a rally around the far turn, then was taken in hand in the final eighth of a mile en route to a 4 1/2 -length victory, his fifth win in 19 starts.

Trained by Beau Greely and running as the 4-1 third choice, Borrego completed the 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.86 and gave Gomez his second upset in a Grade I. He had earlier ridden Taste Of Paradise, a 26-1 shot, to a come-from-behind score for owner David Bloom and trainer Gary Mandella in the $500,000 Vosburgh.

“I never looked at the Breeders’ Cup [Classic] until right now,” Greely said. “He’s going to tell me in the morning. I like to think I have the horse to beat. Saint Liam ran a great race in the Woodward, and there are a lot of great horses out there, but Borrego has won over the track.”

Taste Of Paradise’s victory wasn’t the biggest surprise Saturday at Belmont. Riskaverse, the longest shot in the field at 35-1, won the $750,000 Flower Bowl Invitational.

The other two Grade I races ran to form. Favored Ashado rebounded from a poor effort in the Personal Ensign with a workmanlike victory over 10-1 shot Happy Ticket and five others in the $750,000 Beldame, and Shakespeare, the 9-10 choice, remained unbeaten, defeating English Channel by a head in the $750,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.

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Lost In The Fog remained perfect in 10 starts with an authoritative victory in the $100,000 Bay Meadows Speed Handicap.

In his final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Oct. 29, the 3-year-old Lost Soldier colt took the lead immediately and toyed with his four rivals, winning by nearly eight lengths in 1:08.05 for the six furlongs. Russell Baze rode Lost In The Fog, who paid $2.10, for trainer Greg Gilchrist.

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Jockey Angel Cordero Jr.’s one-day return to the saddle did not go well. Cordero, the Hall of Famer who last rode in 1995, finished fifth on the 2-5 favorite Indian Vale in the $300,000 Cotillion Handicap at Philadelphia Park. Nothing But Fun and jockey Richard Migliore won the Cotillion, a Grade II at 1 1/16 miles.... The Daddy, a 5-1 shot, won the $750,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs, holding off A.P. Arrow.