Real Solution Up to Challenge in Manhattan

Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred Real Solution showed his mettle in the $1,000,000 Grade 1, Knob Creek Manhattan at Belmont Park

Five Iron jumped to the front early, running well ahead of the rest of the field. Leading by as much as a dozen lengths, Five Iron set a pace of :24.22, :48.00, 1:11.73 and 1:35.72, before he was caught turning for home.

Giving jockey Javier Castellano his second win of the day, Real Solution settled comfortably behind stalkers Kaigun and the wagering favorite Seek Again. Fanning for home, Real Solution rallied to the outside to edge Kaigun by 1 1/4 lengths. Seek Again held for third and Grandeur was fourth. 

Trained by Chad Brown for Real Solution came into the Manhattan off a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Man O War Stakes, three-quarters of a length behind Imagining on May 11 at Belmont Park. The 5-year-old son of Kitten's Joy, out of the Pulpit dam Reachfortheheavens, improves his career record to five wins, two seconds and two thirds from 13 starts and pushes his earnings to more than $1.4 million.

Sent off at 5-1, Real Solution paid $13.00 to win, $6.80 to place and $4.30 for show.