Gold Case Motel romps in Soothing Waters

Gold Case Motel ($21.60) overcame a slow pace set by odds-on favorite Meho Rouge to register a 4 3/4-length win in the $13,920 Soothing Waters Handicap for fillies and mares, the Labor Day feature at Fairmount Park. Ridden by Argelio Velazquez and trained by Eddie Essenpreis, Gold Case Motel covered the mile over a fast track in 1:40.60.

The Soothing Waters was the first of five overnight handicaps to be run at Fairmount this month. They are all late additions to the schedule, which was published at the beginning of the meet in March.

The other overnight handicaps this month are the Tic N Tin for older horses at six furlongs on Saturday; the Miss Susan's Rib for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs on Sept. 18; the Rare Vintage for older horses at 1 1/16 miles on Sept. 22; and the Robin Zee for 2-year-old colts and geldings at six furlongs on Sept. 25. All races carry a minimum purse of $12,000.

* Another highlight this month is the $10,000 Little Big Man Endurance on Sept. 21. The race will pit $4,000 to $8,000 claimers at the rarely used distance of 1 3/4 miles. One of the longest-standing track records at Fairmount is the 1 3/4-mile standard of 3:02.80 set by Lightin Bill on Oct. 14, 1939.

* With 11 days remaining in the meet, trainer Ralph Martinez and jockey Raphael Hernandez have safely wrapped up their respective meet titles.