Ron the Greek takes inside track to victory

NEW YORK - Ron the Greek pulled a 21-1 upset on Saturday in the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational at Belmont Park.

Shooting through a huge opening on the rail at the top of stretch, Ron the Greek sprinted away from Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice to a decisive 6¾-length victory.

It was a surprising return to form for Ron the Greek, a career winner of $2.7 million who was mired in a 1-for-9 slump.

Jose Lezcano was aboard for Mott, who also finished third in the race with Flat Out, winner of the last two renewals of this race.

Kentucky Derby winner Orb finished last.

In other major races, Princess of Sylmar, trained by Todd Pletcher, pulled an upset in the $400,000 Beldame Invitational, beating 1-5 favorite Royal Delta by 2 lengths. … Pletcher won again when Graydar scored a front-running victory in the $400,000 Kelso Handicap, holding off Brujo de Olleros by three-quarters of a length. … Trainer Doug O’Neill shipped in Private Zone from California for a hard-fought victory by a neck over Justin Phillip in the $400,000 Vosburgh Invitational. Martin Pedroza was aboard for the 6 furlongs in 1:08.02. … Laughing beat Tannery by a half-length in the $600,000Flower Bowl Invitational for fillies and mares on the turf. Both were trained by Alan Goldberg for owner Richard Santulli. … Little Mike, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, earned his first victory since then in the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational.

SANTA ANITA Beholder wins

ARCADIA, Calif. - Beholder cruised to victory in the $250,000 Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita on Saturday in one of five Grade 1 races with Breeders’ Cup implications at the host track for the world championships.

Ridden by Gary Stevens, Beholder won by 1¼ lengths while running 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.11. She paid $5.20, $3.60 and $2.10 as the 3-2 favorite.

In the other Grade I races at Santa Anita, Tiz Flirtatious won the $250,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes by a head. Ridden by Julien Leparoux, Tiz Flirtatious ran 1¼ miles on the turf in 1:58.98 and paid $5.40, $2.80 and $2.10 as the 8-5 favorite. … In the $250,000 Chandelier Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, Secret Compass, ridden by Rosie Napravnik, edged She’s a Tiger to win by a head. Secret Compass earned a spot in the $2 million BC Juvenile Fillies. … In the $250,000 FrontRunner Stakes, 10-1 shot Bond Holder won by 2 ¼ lengths in the 2-year-old’s first race on dirt and first victory in five career starts.