Riskaverse grabs a repeat in Flower Bowl

ELMONT, N.Y. - Never underestimate Riskaverse in the Grade 1, $750,000 . The 6-year-old scored a repeat victory Saturday in the 1 1/4-mile race for fillies and mares on turf.

Riskaverse, ridden by Jose Santos, found running room in deep stretch to beat Wonder Again by a head with Film Maker third.

Riskaverse is the only back-to-back winner in the 28 runnings of the race.

Few fancied her chances for the repeat win, as Riskaverse paid $73.50. She covered the distance in 2:00.27 on firm ground.

It had been a disappointing campaign to this point for Riskaverse, who was winless in three starts.

"She's a great filly," said trainer Pat Kelly. "We had a little setback over the summer, and it took a little time to get her back to her best."

The win improved her Belmont record to five wins in 13 starts. Headed to retirement after this season, Riskaverse will try to go out a winner in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf here on Oct. 29.

She took a similar path last year. After winning the Flower Bowl at 8-1, Riskaverse finished eighth in the Breeders' Cup.

"We'll try the Breeders' Cup again," Kelly said. "Then we'll call it career."

The Flower Bowl figured to be one of the most wide-open, competitive stakes on the card, and it lived up to that billing.

Riskaverse saved ground as Sand Springs set an ambitious pace with Jerry Bailey aboard. The front-running winner of the Grade 1 Diana at Saratoga last time out, Sand Springs opened up a five-length lead on the field down the backstretch, but it was a pace she could not sustain.

That turned the stretch run into a scramble, with several runners having a shot at the victory. Santos angled his mare out in the nick of time.

"I loved my trip," Santos said. "I was very patient. It was a great job by Pat Kelly. He told me last time she would be a little lazy in Saratoga but she would be better in the fall."

Wonder Again suffered another tough-luck loss in a season in which she is winless in four tries.

"She ran great, but what are you going to do?" said her trainer, Jimmy Toner.

Like Riskaverse, Wonder Again is headed to the Breeders' Cup.

"We're getting closer and we have one more to go," Toner said. "We're not finished yet."