Rush Bay captures Nijinsky

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Rush Bay, based at Churchill Downs with trainer Tom Amoss, raced forwardly under David Clark and held off Last Answer in deep stretch to capture the Grade 2, $301,200 at Woodbine Sunday.

Over a course labeled yielding, Rush Bay vied with Pellegrino through slow fractions in the mile and a half marathon. Favored Jambalaya loomed three-wide into contention on the far turn, then hung in the final furlong, as Last Answer closed between rivals.

Rush Bay dug in gamely in the final sixteenth to win by a neck, completing the distance in 2:33.89 seconds. Last Answer finished two and a half lengths clear of Jambalaya, who wound up third in the eight-horse field. Sky Conqueror and Revved Up were scratched.

"Nobody wanted the lead, and he went there basically on his own," Clark said. "He gave me such a good feel, and he was so relaxed going into the first turn, that I thought he'd run very well."

Rush Bay ($20.80) banked $180,000 for Mueller Thoroughbred Stable Ltd.