Ay Caramba takes Oceanport Stakes

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Ay Caramba, confidently ridden by Gary Stevens, edged away to win the $150,000 on the Haskell Day undercard

The Oceanport and the Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes, won by longshot Love Match, were the two Grade 3, $150,000 featured turf events on the 14-race card.

Ay Caramba ($10.20) had already secured a place in history as Pat Day's last winning mount. The 5-year-old extended his winning streak to three in the Oceanport.

"It was a rocking chair ride," Stevens said. "This was for the great Hall of Famer Pat Day. I was looking around for competition at the sixteenth pole but this was an arm-chair ride."

The Brazilian bred trained by Bobby Frankel got his first North American graded victory as he ran the 1 1/16 miles over the firm turf in 1:42.53.

Ay Caramba beat Hotstufanthensome by a half-length with Stormy Roman third.

Stevens let Ay Caramba relax in fifth before making his move at the top of the lane.

* Hunch players were probably on board with Love Match ($56.60) in the Taylor Made Matchmaker but not many handicappers liked her chances.

The 5-year-old mare set all the fractions as Javier Castellano let her dictate a deliberate pace.

Love Match, never pressed, held on for a one-length win. She ran the 1 1-8 miles in 1:50.38.

"She broke on top and I didn't want to take her back after that," Castellano said. "She was nice and relaxed the entire time. When I asked her at the quarter pole, she had another gear."

Love Match has won two straight at Monmouth since joining John Kimmel's barn.

Cat Alert was second with Emerald Earrings third.

The race awards stallion seasons to the first three finishers with Northern Afleet, Afleet Alex's sire, among the prospective sires.

Even-money favorite Spotlight finished fourth.