Thompson triples at Suffolk

Thompson won the first, second, and fifth races to boost his winning tally for the season to 112.

With six wins in the last three race days, Thompson extends his lead to seven over Panell, who went winless.

Thompson, who achieved 2,500 career wins last week Tuesday when he won the third race aboard Sundance Shamrock, kicked off his triple success in the first race aboard the 4-to-1 chance Sail Away With Me.

The former Jamaica champion apprentice used the three-year-old filly to stalk the leaders in the US$6,200 one-mile event.

He challenged for the lead entering the final turn and prevailed after a tense stretch duel with Tell Tale Cat (3-1) to win by a length.

Thompson was unchallenged in his win aboard Wild Winner in the second race, steering the 7-5 favourite to an easy 12-1/2 length victory in the US$6,200 six-furlong sprint.

In completing his three-timer, Thompson outgunned top-10 riders Panell and Luis Garcia to snatch a narrow win aboard the 2-1 chance Rays a Ruler in a stirring three-way finish of the US$6,200 fifth race.

Panell held a narrow lead into the home stretch with the even-money favourite Holly Day Trend but failed to repel challenges from Garcia’s mount Outta the Blue (9-1) and Thompson’s ride Rays a Ruler, who snatched victory in the one mile and 70-yard event by a head.

Outta the Blue secured second and Holly Day Trend was a mere head further behind in third.

Top-10 Suffolk Downs jockeys: 1 Winston Thompson 112 wins; 2 Dyn Panell 105; 3 Tammi Piermarini 80; 4 Taylor Hole 62; 5 Vernon Bush 55; 6 Edwin Molinari 52; 7 Rafael Medina, Jr 37; 8 E Nelson Arroyo 30; 9 Anne Sanguinetti 29; 10 Luis Garcia 28.