June 21 - Although 2/1 race favourite Lady Shakespeare won the Saturday's $142,500 New York Stakes (Gr 2) at Belmont Park just as many bookies and punters expected, it was the way she did it that surprised them.

With jockey John Velazquez aboard, Lady Shakespeare was set to start the 1 1/4 mile race for fillies and mares next to Gozzip Girl, another filly fans had their eyes on. And with two scratches, the field of seven was reduced to five.

But when the race got underway, betting fans who backed Gozzip Girl uttered a collective groan as the 4-year-old filly stumbled out of the gate sending her rider Ramon Dominguez flying. Fortunately neither horse nor rider were hurt.

So that left four runners, including German-bred mare Daveron who, without Gozzip Girl to set the pace in an overall slow field, snatched an early lead under jockey Rajiv Maragh and proceeded to cover six furlongs in a time of 1:11.92.

Lady Shakespeare, meanwhile, was bringing up the rear of field and didn't look like she was going anywhere fast. But at the quarter pole Velazquez swung her out and asked her for more, and she answered with a bold burst of speed.

And by the sixteenth pole the lead was hers which she maintained until she crossed the line first no less than 2 3/4 lengths clear of Changing Skies who finished 1 length in front of Ave who finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of Daveron.

Said a thrilled Velazquez after the race, 'At the quarter pole I hit her left-handed and there was an instant reaction. It was so quick, I couldn't believe it. Then she got to the lead and her ears went up and she pulled up. She knew what to do.'

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2012/04/02 06:42:15 AM