Tacirring takes Sneakbox

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Tacirring affirmed his standing as the top turf sprinter in the Mid-Atlantic region with an emphatic victory Saturday in the $55,000 Sneakbox Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Tacirring, ridden by Rajiv Maragh, took charge early and pulled away to a 5 3/4-length win for his fourth straight stakes win.

The streak began with the Ben Cohen at Pimlico and was followed by the John McSorley at Monmouth and the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup Handicap at Penn National.

A 6-year-old gelding trained by Scott Lake, Tacirring ran the five furlongs over the firm course in 56.26 seconds.

Tacirring had the rail, a position Maragh used to maximum advantage.

"It took him two strides to get going because he's a big horse," Maragh said. "Once he got into gear, he ran over the course so nice."

Maragh picked up the ride when Stewart Elliott joined Aaron Gryder, Chuckie Lopez, Jose Velez, Jr., and Chris DeCarlo in taking off their mounts because of the oppressive heat and humidity on the Jersey Shore.

Midwatch, the runnerup in the Ben Cohen, was second with Gulch Approval, winner of Monmouth's Grade 3 Oceanport Handicap last year, third.

* Michael Baze rode four winners on the Saturday card.