ELMONT, N.Y. -- It was fair to wonder if, at age 8 and having not won a race in two years, Obviously's best days were behind him.
Obviously not.
Obviously got loose on the lead under Jose Lezcano through an easy first quarter, then dragged the jockey around the Belmont Park Widener turf course through the last six furlongs en route to a 3-3/4-length victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $300,000 Poker Stakes. Force the Pass was second, 1-3/4 lengths ahead of Offering Plan.
Not only did Obviously win the Poker demonstratively, his final time of 1:31.