Jerkens pulls upset in the Big A's Bold Ruler

Updated: October 31, 2009, 5:50 PM ET
Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens pulled off another upset Saturday as Le Grand Cru won the $147,000 Bold Ruler Handicap at Aqueduct.

Nicknamed "The Giant Killer" for his legendary upsets of Secretariat, Kelso and Buckpasser, Jerkens struck again with the longest shot in the five-horse field.

While not the same magnitude of his past stunners, the Bold Ruler showed Jerkens, 80, still has the knack.

The longest price in the five-horse field at 7-1, Le Grand Cru dug in to beat Past the Point by a half length. Jose Lezcano was aboard as Le Grand Cru won a second straight stakes, improving to 4-for-13. The 4-year-old ran the seven furlongs in 1:22.19 on the fast track.

Le Grand Cru paid $17.80, $6.60 and $2.80. Past the Point returned $3.50 and $2.30. Sing Baby Sing paid $2.10 to show as the 2-1 favorite.

Unbridled Belle, nearing the end of her brilliant career, rolled to a 4-length win over Weathered in the $109,000 Turnback The Alarm Stakes for fillies and mares.

Scheduled for retirement at the end of this season, the 6-year-old is just shy of $1.9 million in career earnings.

Ridden by Ramon Dominguez and trained by Todd Pletcher, Unbridled Belle got her sixth stakes win. She ran the 1 1-8 miles in 1:50.20, paying $3 to win as the 1-2 favorite.


Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

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