OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Chili Flag, upset by Tass in an allowance race here last month, turned the tables on that rival Sunday, winning the $135,000 Forever Together Stakes by one length at Aqueduct as the turf season came to a close for the year on this circuit. In a three-way photo for second, Tass prevailed by a nose over Uncorked, who was a head in front of Willakia. Jorge Ruiz, the rider of Willakia, claimed foul on winning rider Irad Ortiz Jr. and Chili Flag, alleging interference at the quarter pole, but the stewards disallowed the claim. After sitting third while on the inside early, Ortiz guided Chili Flag off the inside turning for home and did come into the three path, but did seem to be clear of Willakia. Ortiz did look back, saying he heard someone yelling. “By the time I asked her to run, I hear somebody, I look but there’s nobody there,” Ortiz said. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Graham Motion, the trainer of Willikai, said Ruiz told him “he thought he was on the best horse,” Motion said. Regarding the objection, the stewards, in a posting on the New York Racing Association website, wrote “Chili Flag was propelling forward coming out of the turn and went through a hole that closed up on Willakia. After reviewing the race and speaking with the riders, the stewards saw no cause for disqualification.” The victory was the fourth from 15 starts for Chili Flag, but first in a stakes for the 4-year-old French-bred daughter of Cityscape owned by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Michael Kisber and trained by Chad Brown. When Chili Flag lost to Tass at 2-5 in the Oct. 19 allowance race, Ortiz said he might have moved too early. “It was a mile and an eighth, too,” Ortiz said. “I think the mile and a sixteenth for her is much better.” Sunday, Chili Flag covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.27 and returned $10.60 to win. Following Willakia in the order of finish was Regal Realm, the 2-1 favorite, Cigamia, Faith in Humanity and Malavath. The win on Chili Flag was the fourth on Sunday’s card for Ortiz. He won five on Saturday’s card. “It’s amazing, it’s a great feeling, [these] are special days for us, it’s hard to win one, to win that many, we got to enjoy it,” Ortiz said. Ortiz will miss this racing week (Friday through Sunday), serving a three-day riding suspension from California stewards for his ride on Goodnight Olive winning the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 4. Ortiz plans to ride at Aqueduct one more week before heading to Gulfstream Park following the races of Dec. 3 here. Spirit Prince takes Central Park Persistence paid off for the connections of Spirit Prince, a maiden who became a stakes winner in his fourth try in such a race, taking Sunday’s $120,000 Central Park Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths. Spirit Prince had to overcome a roughly run first turn, during which jockey Joel Rosario had to steady his horse slightly, but thereafter he worked out a good trip behind horses. Though Spirit Prince lugged in a touch in the stretch, Rosario got him straightened out quickly and Sprit Prince was moving away from his competition in the final furlong. “He likes to play with his head,” Rosario said. “He lugged in a little bit but after I got him straight, he was very focused after that.” Spirit Prince finished second in a maiden race at Saratoga and then ran in three straight stakes thereafter -  finishing third in the Grade 3 With Anticipation and Grade 2 Pilgrim and second in the Awad Stakes. Clement had tried to run in a maiden race before the Awad but the horse was left on the also-eligible list. Clement noted that while it was a little bit rough for Spirit Prince entering the first turn, “he actually got a very good trip after that, he dropped in and saved ground,” Clement said. “Joel rode a perfect race.” Spirit Prince, a son of Cairo Prince owned by Oakwood Stables, Scott Krase, Donna Thoroughbreds, and Kenneth and Gail Beitz, covered the mile in 1:37.69 and returned $7.60 as the favorite. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.