Maragh takes two in opener
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Rajiv Maragh rode the winners of both stakes at the Meadowlands on Monday, opening day of a 41-day meet that runs through Nov.o10. Maragh won the $60,000 Ready Jet Go for fillies and mares with Generosity and the $55,000 King Bold Reality for turf sprinters with Remain Silent.
For the first time since 2002, the Meadowlands kicked off the Thoroughbred season on the Labor Day weekend, and 7,817 turned out on a warm, sunny afternoon.
Monmouth, which in recent seasons has extended its meet into late September, closed Sunday to begin final preparations for the Breeders' Cup on Oct. 26-27.
The stakes wins were nice parting gifts as Maragh starts a 10-day suspension Friday for an infraction during last year's Meadowlands meet that had been under appeal.
"I'm missing a big chunk of the meet," Maragh said. "I was second-leading rider here last year and I was looking to take the next step. This will hinder me a lot."
In the Ready Jet Go, Maragh positioned Generosity behind Pure Disco and Send Me an Angel as they battled for the lead. Generosity ($11.40) swung three wide at the top of the lane and pulled away to a five-length win.
"My goal was to not let those horses get away from me," Maragh said. "Being one or two lengths behind them, I felt very confident."
Pure Disco held on for second with Livermore Valley making a late run to get third.
Generosity, a 5-year-old trained by Bruce Levine, got her fourth win in 15 starts.
The time was 1:08.14 for the six furlongs on the fast track.
In the King Bold Reality, Remain Silent zipped the five furlongs on the firm turf in a track record 54.73 seconds, erasing the mark of 55.17seconds set by Special Occasion in 2000.
Remain Silent ($20.20) dueled Mathewlovestoparty into submission before kicking clear to a 2 1/4-length win. Silver Timber, the 4-5 favorite, rallied for second with Wild Babe third.
Remain Silent, a 4-year-old trained by Michael Pino, posted his fifth win in 10 career starts.
Racing resumes at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Meadowlands.
* Stewart Elliott was fined $1,000 by the stewards for an altercation with Rudy Rodriguez in the Monmouth jockeys' room on Saturday.