Aqueduct: Boisterous repeats in Red Smith

Boisterous, who notched the first graded stakes victories of his career in the Knickerbocker Stakes and Red Smith Handicap last fall, completed a sweep of those races for a second straight year with a decisive triumph in Saturday's Grade 2 Red Smith at Aqueduct.

Toting top weight of 122 pounds, and conceding as much as seven pounds to five rivals, Boisterous ($2.70) rated patiently through the early stages as Bombaguia set moderate fractions while pressured by Westside Corral.

Boisterous, ridden by Edgar Prado, angled three wide and quickly pounced on the leaders coming off the third and final turn, briefly felt a challenge from Lake Drop a furlong out, and was widening his advantage again at the finish to score by three lengths.

"That horse ran huge," said Prado. "He showed up one more time and did it pretty easily. He was in control of the race most of the way. I eased him out, and when I turned him loose he leveled off."

Boisterous, who has posted all six of his stakes victories on non-firm turf, ran 1 3/8 miles in 2:19.38 seconds on a course labeled yielding. A Phipps Stable homebred, he earned $120,000and improved to 9-1-2 from 21 career starts for trainer Shug McGaughey.

"Edgar had him in a perfect spot," said assistant trainer Buzzy Tenney. "He didn't run his race in the Arlington Million. He wasn't beaten that badly, but I think he's the kind of horse who appreciates fall weather more than the summer heat. I believe this will be the last race of the year for him. We'll take him down to Florida and bring him back in the spring, just like last year."

Lake Drop, who had finished a troubled fifth as the favorite in the Laurel Turf Cup a week earlier, was clearly second best by four and one-quarter lengths over Philly Ace in third. It was a neck farther back to Westside Corral.

Game Ball and Bombaguia completed the order of finish.