Sharp Impact wires Lexington

ELMONT, N.Y. - By winning Sunday's $150,000 at Belmont Park, Sharp Impact made up for the loss his connections suffered on Saturday with State Shinto, the favorite in the Bowling Green Handicap.

Sharp Impact, under Richard Migliore, set the pace in the Grade 3 Lexington, a 1 1/4-mile grass race for 3-year-old males, and was able to withstand a late charge from Hidden Truth, the second choice, to win by a half-length. It was another two lengths back to Urban King, the 4-5 favorite, in third. Supervisor, Vettriano, and Deputy Lad completed the order of finish.

Sharp Impact ($10) controlled the pace through fractions 24.62 seconds, 50.38, 1:14.93, and 1:38.74 on his way to covering the distance in 2:02.62 over the firm inner course.

Migliore said, "The first half of the race set things up nicely. He was going along real comfortably. He just kept throwing 24-[second] quarters at them."

Owned by Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Sharp Impact was making his grass debut in the Lexington. Last year, the son of Siphon won the six-furlong Spectacular Bid Stakes at Arlington Park.

Sharp Impact provided trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who is having a spectacular summer with his stable, with his first stakes winner at the meet. Sharp Impact was McLaughlin's 18th winner from 41 starters at Belmont since May 7.

"The grass was a question mark, but all of these Siphons seem to move up on turf," McLaughlin said. "I was a little worried about the distance, but he was able to set comfortable fractions. It's nice getting our first stakes win of the meet."