Pants On Fire, the 2011 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) winner, made a successful 2012 debut this afternoon at Gulfstream Park when he drew off to a powerful victory in a one-mile allowance optional claiming race on the main track.
Ridden to victory by Paco Lopez, Pants On Fire settled into the third position early on as Sky Venture and Dash Dot Dash set a moderate early pace of :24.67 and :47.54. Matty's Trail, Hunters Bay, and Meistersinger were next, followed by the even-money favorite Dialed In, the 2011 Florida Derby (gr. I) winner who was making his first start since finishing fourth in the 2011 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) last May. Flatter This was the early trailer.
As the field rounded the turn, Pants On Fire made a bold run to take over the lead, turning for home in front by about a length. Dialed In had moved up to be only two lengths from the front, but was beginning to flatten out en route to a fourth-place finish.
Hunters Bay ended up making a decent run in the stretch, getting to within a length and a half of the winner passing the eighth pole, but Pants On Fire simply had too much left in the tank. The son of Jump Start found another gear in deep stretch and drew off strongly to win by 4 1/2 lengths, stopping the clock in the good time of 1:35.96.
Hunters Bay finished much the best of the rest, while Meistersinger, Dialed In, Sky Venture, Matty's Trail, Dash Dot Dash, and Flatter This completed the order of finish.
The winner is owned by George and Lori Hall and is trained by Kelly Breen.
-Keelerman
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