EAST BOSTON, CMC

Jamaican rider Winston Thompson, aiming to win his third consecutive Suffolk Downs jockeys' championship is back at the top of the standings in the current season after winning three races on Monday afternoon.

Thompson captured races two, four and 10 and surged to 63 winners as he completed his fourth three-timer in three weeks at the East Boston oval.

The three wins gave him a share of the jockeys' championship lead with Dyn Panell, and Vernon Bush is eight behind in third on 55.

Thompson, who also posted triples on July 23, August 5 and 9, kicked off his successful afternoon with an easy victory aboard the favourite Schultzie in the US$6,200 second race over one mile.

He went to the front on the far turn and the 3-to-5 favourite outclassed the seven-horse field for an 8-3/4 length win in one minute 42.18 seconds.

Even-money

Thompson, a three-time Suffolk Downs champion, then won the US$6,076 fourth race over six furlongs aboard the even-money favourite Cohiba's Diamond.

He came from behind aboard the three-year-old filly and swept to the front inside the last two furlongs to win handily by 5-1/2 lengths in 1:15.02.

A winner of his first Suffolk Downs title in 1995 before capturing back-to-back titles 2004 and 2005, Thompson produced a splendid ride to win the US$18,000 10th race over a mile and 70 yards by a neck.

He positioned the 3-1 bet Southoftheborder near the back of the field early and gradually moved up down the back-stretch.

He pounced on the leaders - three wide - entering the home-turn and snatched the lead with a vigorous ride in the final strides for a win in 1:45.94.