FREEDOM Street, ridden by jockey Roger Hewitt, got up in time to deny favourite Duke in the $1.25-million Vassell “Jolly Man” Najair Memorial Trophy feature event, after a tremendous stretch run with four horses spread across the track at Caymanas Park.

Freedom Street, trained by Patrick Lynch, hugged the inside well, cut the turn entering the straight, and outlasted late-running 3-5 favourite Duke (Dane Dawkins) by 2 1/4 lengths at the wire on Sunday. Freedom Street, who started at 5-1 in a 14-horse field, recorded 1:106.2 for the Overnight Allowance race for three-year-olds and up over five and a half furlongs (1,100m).

At the start of the race Hewitt held Freedom Street off the pace in third place while A Gift From Ben (Tevin Foster) led the field ahead of Cataba (Jordan Barrett). Hewitt held back Freedom Street slightly as they approached the half-mile (800m) turn, allowing Luksol (Jerome Innis) to close in on the leaders.

With Cataba stepping off the inside rails while dragging A Gift From Ben and Luksol, the way was cleared for Freedom Street to engage in a four-way battle for control in deep stretch. Hewitt maintained his mount balanced, and Freedom Street found something extra to win the race from a fast-finishing Duke who had been outpaced earlier. A Gift From Ben came in third, with Luksol completing the frame. The race splits were 23.1 x 46.2.

Freedom Street, a four-year-old bay gelding bred by Uncaptured out of the Sweetsouthernsaint mare Nofashionsense, was winning for the fifth time from 26 starts and has earned over $3.9 million in Stakes.

Raddesh Roman was the pick of the riders, with two winners on the eight-race programme.

Known as the Sneaky Fox in racing circles, Roman picked up a chance ride aboard The Bees Knees after leading rider Reyan Lewis was injured the previous race day. Roman booted home the Richard Azan trainee to victory in the sixth race. His second victory came in the Royal Dad Trophy while riding Rhythm Buzz for trainer Vincent Atkinson.

Lewis fell from a two-year-old during the workout time on Saturday morning and was unable to mount up during the weekend.

The Jamaica Observer has learnt that Lewis was not gravely wounded in the incident. Lewis must show a medical clearance certificate to the race day stewards in order to ride again, according to the Racing Rules.

Aside from The Bees Knees, two of Lewis’s Saturday rides, Phenomenal One and Digital One, both won for Phillip Parchment and Dane Dawkins, respectively.

Lewis (85 winners) maintained a healthy lead of 14 winners over Dawkins (71 winners) who rode three winners over the two days.