Zaajel worked her way past 4-5 favorite Always Carina in the stretch to win the Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose at 18-1 on Saturday at Belmont Park. Always Carina finished 1 1/4 lengths back in second, and won a photo for the place by a nose over Clairiere. The Mother Goose was for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles. The one-turn race was run on a fast track and shared a card with the $100,000 Wild Applause won by Runaway Rumour. Zaajel ($38.80) sat just off pacesetter Always Carina in the Mother Goose, as Clairiere trailed early after she stumbled out of the gate when the ground broke out from underneath her. Always Carina went on and set fractions of 24.03 for the opening quarter, 48.03 for the half-mile and 1:12.44 for six furlongs. Zaajel moved to the leader, battled past that one, and went on to cover the distance in 1:42.83. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports “She ran really big today,” winning rider Joel Rosario told publicity for the New York Racing Association. “She was very comfortable and happy. I knew the horse on the lead was the horse to beat and she did it. She ran a big race today. She was moving very well for me.” Always Carina was making her stakes debut after winning the first two races of her career by clear margins, with Beyer Speed Figures in the 90s. “My horse was traveling well and she accelerated nicely,” jockey Flavien Prat told publicity. “She just got beat by a filly who had more experience. I didn’t have any issues. She dug in well.” Zaajel is trained by Todd Pletcher. The daughter of Street Sense races for her breeder, Shadwell Stable. She earned $137,500 for the Mother Goose win to improve her career record to 3 for 5 for earnings of $228,640. Zaajel moved back to dirt for the Mother Goose after running seventh in her turf debut in the Grade 3 Edgewood at Churchill Downs. Zaajel has registered her three wins on dirt, and at one turn. Her other victories include the Grade 3 Forward Gal in January at Gulfstream Park. Runaway Rumour ($29) remained undefeated in three starts when she burst to the lead in the late stages to win the Wild Applause by a half-length over a closing Minaun. The winner covered the one-turn mile run on firm turf in 1:34.25. Luis Cardenas was aboard Runaway Rumour, a daughter of Flintshire, for her breeder, Lawrence Goichman. She is trained by Jorge Abreu.