Rushing Fall wins Longines Just a Game

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Odds-on favorite Rushing Fall bounded off to a two-length lead coming out of the gate and was never threatened, going gate-to-wire to win the Grade 1, $700,000 Longines Just a Game on Saturday at Belmont Park, marking trainer Chad Brown's fourth turf stakes win of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

With Hall of Famer Javier Castellano in the irons, Rushing Fall broke sharply from the No. 4 post and quickly took command, leading the field of six fillies and mares through sensible fractions of 23.91 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.21 for the half. With Daddy is a Legend moving up to challenge on the far turn, Rushing Fall promptly found another gear and spurted clear of her five rivals to hit the wire 2 ½ lengths in front of the fast-closing Beau Recall.

"She broke out of the gate but she was able to settle down in the beginning," said Castellano. "It's amazing the way she finished. They tried to challenge her, but she's so good."

Her winning time was 1:31.67 for the mile over the firm Widener turf course.

"When Daddy is a Legend tackled her on the turn, I was concerned there for a moment because I knew it would be a real battle. I have a lot of respect for that horse," said Brown, who notched his third straight Just a Game victory. "Thankfully, Rushing Fall showed her best stuff today and was able to fend her off and kick clear. I don't use the word brilliant too often, but it was a real brilliant performance."

It was the eighth victory in nine starts for Rushing Fall.