Flat Out wins Jockey Club Gold Cup

NEW YORK (AP) - Flat Out took the lead on the turn for home and won the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup to cap a Super Saturday of racing at Belmont Park with Breeders' Cup implications.

Flat Out's 2 1/4-length win over 2010 Belmont Stakes winner Drosselmeyer, with favorite Stay Thirsty third, likely sends the 5-year-old horse into the BC Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5 as one of the favorites.

Flat Out, ridden by Alex Solis, covered the 1 1/4 miles over a muddy track in 2:03.17.

Earlier, Uncle Mo showed he's back to his winning ways with a three-length victory in the $200,000 Kelso Handicap and the filly Havre de Grace cruised to an 8 1/4-length win in the $350,000 Beldame Stakes.

Like Flat Out, both are likely headed to the Classic, where Havre de Grace may be the favorite in her bid to become the first female to win the richest race in North America. Havre de Grace beat the boys in the Woodward at Saratoga on Sept. 3, with Flat Out finishing second.

``Yeah, we'll probably go the Classic,'' trainer Larry Jones said. ``She did very well. She's been training like a monster. She's just so good right now.''

And so was Flat Out, the 7-5 second choice behind Travers winner Stay Thirsty, Uncle Mo's stablemate owned by Mike Repole and trained by Todd Pletcher.

Longtime Kentucky-based trainer Scooter Dickey was lost for words after winning the biggest race of his 48-year career. A few minutes later, a composed Dickey said, ``Yeah, it's really nice.''

Flat Out was fourth early on, running just behind Stay Thirsty with Rodman setting the early pace. But when the field hit the far turn, Flat Out began his winning move while Stay Thirsty couldn't keep up. Once clear, it was Flat Out cruising to his first win since taking the Suburban at Belmont by 6 1/2 lengths on July 2. He was second to Tizway in the Whitney Handicap before a 1 1/4-length loss to Havre de Grace in the Woodward.

In the three other stakes races, 12-1 long shot Giant Ryan won the six-furlong, $350,000 Vosburgh, 1-2 favorite Stacelita captured the $500,000 Flower Bowl Invitational and 3-5 favorite Cape Blanco took the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational.

The winners of all six races earn automatic berths into corresponding Breeders' Cup races as part of the event's ``Win and You're In'' program.

Havre de Grace left four rivals in the slop with her easy win in the Beldame to stake her claim as the leading contender for Horse of the Year. The 4-year-old filly moved into the lead off the far turn, and jockey Ramon Dominguez had little work to do to guide her home. Royal Delta was a distant second.

Havre de Grace was the 3-5 favorite and covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.39. She has won five of six starts this year, her only loss coming by a nose to rival Blind Luck in the Delaware Handicap.

Uncle Mo led from the start, and held off a brief challenge by Jackson Bend for his first win since March. The 3-year-old colt was sidelined nearly 4 1/2 months with a life-threatening liver disease and missed the Triple Crown races. He returned in August and was beaten by a nose in the King's Bishop.

Uncle Mo, with John Velazquez aboard, covered the mile in 1:33.82. Uncle Mo balked briefly before entering the gate, then shot to the lead at the start. The son of Indian Charlie ran comfortably in front as the four-horse entered the turn. That's when Forego winner Jackson Bend made a move inside and briefly challenged Uncle Mo.