Hot Stones wins Belmont's Bed o' Roses Handicap

NEW YORK (AP) Hot Stones edged Merry Meadow by a nose Saturday in the $150,000 Bed o' Roses Handicap for fillies and mares at Belmont Park.

The 4-year-old trained by Bruce Levine angled four wide at the top of the stretch and battled through the lane for her first stakes victory, and sixth overall in 11 starts. Irad Ortiz, Jr. was aboard as the 6-1 shot ran seven furlongs in 1:21.98.

''She always like to fight a little bit when you get close to the wire,'' said Ortiz, who won five races on the afternoon.

Hot Stones, the lone New York bred in the race, paid $15.40, $7.10 and $4.50. Merry Meadow returned $6 and $4, and Calistoga paid $3.70 to show.