JOE HIRSCH TURF CLASSIC (GRADE 1)

MAIN Sequence earned his third consecutive Grade 1 win in the United States since arriving from England when he narrowly outfought Twilight Classic by a neck in the one and a half mile $600,000 Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic over the turf course at Belmont Park last Saturday.

Rajiv Maragh was once again aboard Main Sequence, a five-year-old Kentucky homebred owned by the Niarchos Family’s Flaxman Holdings and trained by Graham Motion. Jose Lezcano, the jockey aboard Twilight Eclipse, lodged an objection against Main Sequence for interference in the straight but stewards ruled there would be no change in the order of finish.

A replay showed Main Sequence, on the outside, drifting inward just strides before the wire, at the same time Twilight Eclipse floated out when solid contact occurred.

Main Sequence was off awkwardly in the Turf Classic, then angled to the inside by Maragh and raced slightly off the rail as Imagining took the early lead through the first mile. Main Sequence, racing in fifth around the final turn, split horses as he launched his bid to emerge third on the outside at the top of the straight. Imagining, who reached the final two furlongs still in front by half a length, continued on the front end through the lane as Main Sequence closed in.

Twilight Eclipse, rallying from between horses along the inside, engaged Main Sequence as he gained a slight advantage over Imagining. Main Sequence and Twilight Eclipse battled it out to the wire in a terrific finish between a pair of determined rivals, leaving Imagining was one length back in third.

“What a cool horse. Ironically, I thought he ran his most professional race today and then you had the bump right before the wire,” Motion said. “I was kind of sick, to be honest (during the inquiry). I thought it would have been a little bit cruel to take it away, but he definitely bumped the other horse. I feel bad for West Point (owner of Twilight Eclipse). I train for them and that horse has run three big races and he’s come out on the wrong end of them.” Twilight Eclipse was second in the field of seven, with pacesetter Imagining third.

Main Sequence’s next stop is the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf.