Irish Jasper rebounds on short rest in Belle Harbor

Irish Jasper finished fourth in the Stormy Blues Stakes at Pimlico eight days ago, but trainer Derek Ryan brought her back on short rest and removed her blinkers for the $100,000 Belle Harbor Stakes at Aqueduct on Sunday. The result was a strong off-the-pace victory.

Irish Jasper, last in the five-horse field early, commenced her bid four-wide on the far turn. She ran by the second flight of horses in midstretch and then overtook front-running Lakeside Sunset to score by a length.

The Stormy Blues, in which Irish Jasper finished fourth on April 18, was a five-furlong turf race.

“I was very confident coming in,” Ryan said. “I sort of stopped by Pimlico last week on the way back from Tampa and got a good five-eighths work on the turf in her. She came out of the race really good.”

Irish Jasper, by far the longest price in the field, paid $28.40. She completed 6 1 /2 furlongs in 1:16.85.

Perchance, the 7-5 favorite, rallied to overtake Lakeside Sunset for second in deep stretch, beating her by three-quarters of a length. Paulassilverlining, the 8-5 second choice, finished fourth, 4 1/4 lengths behind Lakeside Sunset.

The stewards conducted an inquiry into the stretch run of the race and Jose Ortiz, the rider of Paulassilverlining, lodged objections against his brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., the rider of Perchance, and against Kendrick Carmouche, the rider of Irish Jasper.

Coming to midstretch, Perchance came outward to secure racing room from behind Lakeside Sunset. At that same time, Irish Jasper was lodging her bid outside horses, Paulassilverlining steadied momentarily between Perchance and the winner.

Following that incident, Perchance came out again, herding Paulassilverlining out several paths.

After a lengthy inquiry, the stewards let the results stand.

Lindisfarne chased Lakeside Sunset early, then appeared to be tiring when she steadied between horses coming to midstretch. She finished fifth and last.

Take Issue prevails in Park Avenue

Even-money favorite The Lewis Dinner was likely the best horse in the $100,000 Park Avenue Stakes but Take Issue had the better manners and reached the wire first to collect a first-place check of $60,000.

The Lewis Dinner had the outside post in the seven-horse Park Avenue but broke outward to the crown of the track when the gates opened. She ran fairly straight on the backstretch for jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. but fought him on the turn while remaining well out in the track. Once into the stretch, The Lewis Dinner again straightened out but she came up a little short, as Take Issue, just to her inside, finished best to score by 1 1/4 lengths.

There was a four-horse blanket finish for the place, with The Lewis Dinner second, a head in front of Dreamboat Annie in third. It was another neck back to Freudie Anne in fourth. Majestic Jessica was fifth, a nose behind Freudie Anne.

Dreamboat Annie, the 5-1 third choice, set the early pace on a short lead inside 41-1 Majestic Jessica. The Lewis Dinner was just off them but well removed from the inside part of the track. Freudie Anne, the 8-5 second choice, bided her time in fourth position early, while Take Issue raced in fifth.

The field came together in midstretch with five horses spread across the track. From the rail out they were Dreamboat Annie, Majestic Jessica, Freudie Anne, Take Issue, and The Lewis Dinner. The order of finish was in doubt until deep stretch when Take Issue inched away.

Take Issue is a daughter of Sir Whimsey, who was owned by Turtle Bird Stable and trained by Steve Asmussen at two different points in his career. Take Issue was bred by Turtle Bird Stable and Toby Sheets, Asmussen’s New York-based assistant, and is owned by Sheets and ZBS Thoroughbreds.

Take Issue paid $31.60 to win and has now won three straight races at Aqueduct. Take Issue is 3 for 4 in her career and has now earned $114,000.

Take Issue completed the 6 1 /2 furlongs in 1:18.15.

Times Square: Possessed best early and late

Possessed pressed the pace outside front-running Clockwork in the $100,000 Times Square division of the New York stallion, drew clear in upper stretch, and then held off the late run of the maiden Organic Gemini to score by one length.

Possessed, a son of Posse, covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.32 and paid $4.70 as the favorite in the five-horse field.

Possessed is trained and party owned by Charlton Baker and was ridden by Jose Ortiz.

Organic Gemini finished well for second but is now winless in seven starts and has finished second in four straight races.

Disco Partner, the 8-5 second choice, was outfinished by Organic Gemini and finished two lengths farther back in third.

Clockwork tired after setting fractions of 23.63 and 46.16 seconds and finished last.