Photo: MEC
Edward
P. Evans’ A Little Warm, impressive winner of the six-furlong Spectacular Bid
Stakes on Jan. 9; and Paul Pompa, Jr.’s D’Funnybone, winner of the Saratoga
Special (G2) and Futurity (G2) at Belmont Park last year, will be the favorites
in the Hutcheson Stakes for brother trainers Anthony and Rick Dutrow,
respectively.
Jeremy
Rose gets the return call on A Little Warm, who appeared to put it all together
breaking his maiden by 10 ¾ lengths in late November at Philadelphia Park in
his fourth start. The homebred son of Stormin Fever will be tested beyond six
furlongs for the first time on Saturday.
D’Funnybone
began his career at Calder with a winning debut in May and runner-up
performance in the Frank Gomez Memorial in July for breeder Harold Plumley and
trainer Joe Calascibetta. He was sold privately shortly thereafter and sent to
Rick Dutrow in New York.
The son
of D’wildcat won the Saratoga Special by 10 ½ lengths and The Futurity by 4 ¾
lengths, but tired to last of 13 after showing speed while prompting the pace
to the far turn last out in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita, possibly
not handling the surface or the distance. Regular rider Edgar Prado retains the
mount.
Another
contender that will get his share of support in the 57th Hutcheson is Monarch
Stable’s Wildcat Frankie with Paco Lopez in the saddle for trainer Jim
Hatchett. The son of Wildcat Heir makes his fourth career start after a
brilliant 15 1/2 lengths debut victory at Calder in December, a solid runner-up
finish behind A Little Warm in the Spectacular Bid, and a one-mile allowance
score here on Feb. 6.
Completing
the field of eight set for the Hutcheson are IEAH Stables and partners’
Radiohead, Julien Leparoux; Jim and Susan Hill’s City Trooper, Garrett Gomez;
Anstu Stable’s Ibboyee, John Velazquez; Anita Hicken’s Sum Champ, Cornelio
Velasquez; and Jacks or Better Farm’s Hear Ye Hear Ye, Jeffrey Sanchez.
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