by Tim Nichols

Grade 1 winner Tale of Ekati rewarded trainer Barclay Tagg’s confidence with a one-length score in the Jerome Handicap (G2) on Sunday at Belmont Park.

The Tale of the Cat colt had no problems navigating a sealed sloppy track as he completed one mile in 1:36.17 under Cornelio Velasquez.

“I knew he was dead-right for the race and I thought it was a good spot for him, although I knew it was very, very tough,” Tagg said. “The jockey rode him just the way I asked him. I said to Cornelio, ‘If you can sit third or fourth on the outside, do it.’ ”

The race went exactly as planned for Tagg as Tale of Ekati stalked from third on the outside as Z Humor zipped to the front and led through a half-mile in :46.24 while being pressured by Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Da’ Tara.

Tale of Ekati moved to second at the quarter pole, a half-length behind Z Humor, as Da’ Tara faded to sixth.

“I had perfect position,” Velasquez said. “I stayed on the outside and waited until the quarter pole to ask him. He did the rest.”

The Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) winner took the lead in early stretch when given his cue and powered to a clear win as You and I Forever closed gamely for second, 3 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Harlem Rocker.

Visionaire, the 1.55-to-1 favorite with two previous wins on sloppy tracks, finished last in the field of seven.

Out of the Sunday Silence mare Silence Beauty (Jpn), Tale of Ekati won his fourth race in 11 career starts and boosted his earnings to $992,758. The three-year-old entered off four straight unplaced finishes, most recently finishing seventh in the Travers Stakes Presented by Shadwell Farm (G1) on August 23 at Saratoga Race Course.

Tale of Ekati also finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and sixth to Da’ Tara in the Belmont Stakes this season.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Tim Nichols is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY assistant editor