ELMONT, N.Y. – Change of Control took control of the Intercontinental Stakes at the eighth pole and went on to a 1 1/2-length victory over Piedi Bianchi in the Grade 3, $200,000 turf race Thursday at Belmont Park. It was the first graded stakes win for jockey Colby Hernandez, who had ridden 2,284 other winners but was 0 for 39 in graded stakes. The Intercontinental was Hernandez’s first race anywhere in New York. “It’s an awesome feeling,” Hernandez said. Change of Control was shipped here from Kentucky by trainer Michelle Lovell, whose only other local starter, Fault, finished third in the 2017 Sands Point. Hernandez, the younger brother of jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., had ridden Change of Control in 10 of her last 12 starts, and Lovell stuck with him. Lovell, who couldn’t take time away from her Kentucky string to make the trip to Belmont, took a chance by shipping Change of Control to run over a seven-furlong distance longer than her standard five to 5 1/2 furlongs. Change of Control had no trouble seeing out the trip. “This means we have more options with her. She’s not limited,” Lovell said. :: Access exclusive morning workout reports and get an edge on Belmont Stakes Day with DRF Clocker Reports  Two key scratches softened the Intercontinental, run over a “good” turf course. Favored Regal Glory was withdrawn in favor of Saturday’s Just a Game Stakes, while Sweet Bye and Bye tied up after training this week. That left a field of just five, with the unproven Publication favored at $1.35-1 ahead of $1.45-1 Change of Control, a far more proven mare. I’llhandalthecash went to the front and set slow splits of 23.64 and 46.82, with Change of Control racing along the inside while trapped inside and behind rivals. Hernandez, whose mount had plenty of run, pushed forward at the five-sixteenths pole, hoping to find a seam between I’llhandalthecash and Piedi Bianchi, but after turning for home he abandoned that plan, instead tipping three paths off the fence. Publication was trying to move up on the outside and briefly held Change of Control in check, but she and Hernandez made their own hole and leapt into contention, comfortably wearing down Piedi Bianchi, who held second over Madeleine Must. “All she needed was daylight,” Hernandez said. “She kicked when she got it.” Change of Control was timed in 1:22.07 and paid $4.90 to win. I’llhandalthecash faded to fourth as Publication brought up the rear. “She’d never been on the soft ground like today, and the pace was very slow,” Publication’s jockey, Javier Castellano, said. “She handled it well the first part but when I asked her to run, she didn’t give it to me.” Change of Control is a 5-year-old by Fed Biz out of America’s Blossom, by Quiet America. John O’Meara bred the mare and Harrison Perry owns her. “She settles so well and is so push button. She really bullied her way through there, and I’m so proud of her,” said Lovell.