An impressive debut maiden winner Jan. 15 at Aqueduct, Flashpoint was ambitiously placed in the seven-furlong Hutcheson against four stakes winners and 3-5 choice Travelin Man, who earned a 106 Beyer in his maiden debut last month. He responded to the challenge, making easy work of his stakes debut. The 3-year-old son of Pomeroy   is owned by Peachtree Stable.

With Cornelio Velasquez also flying in from New York for the mount, Flashpoint broke sharply and pressed the pace of Travelin Man, who guided the field of nine through speedy fractions of :22.16 and :44.53. Madman Diaries and Royal Currier were also close to the pace, but it was a two-horse race from the start and Travelin Man and Flashpoint hit the quarter-pole together.

It wasn’t long after they straightened away that Flashpoint edged clear of Travelin Man. He opened up a 1 1/2-length lead at the eighth-pole and pulled way for the convincing victory. The final time on the fast dirt was 1:22.03. Travelin Man and John Velazquez were three lengths clear of Little Drama, who closed willingly at 50-1 to get third.

Flashpoint, bred in Florida by Silverleaf Farm, won his racing debut by 6 1/4 lengths going six furlongs in a quick time of 1:09.03. He had three works in New York before shipping to Florida for the Hutcheson. The victory earned the gray/roan colt $90,000 and increased his earnings to $115,200.

Flashpoint, a $100,000 Keeneland September 2009 yearling sale purchase, is out of the Two Punch mare Two Punch Lil.

The winner paid $15.80, $5.60, and $4.20. The exacta (5-3) returned $40.20, and the trifecta (5-3-6) was worth $392.80 for $1.

Razmataz finished fourth, followed by Leave of Absence, Royal Currier, Madman Diaries, Manicero, and Black N Beauty. As expected, Crossbow   was scratched and will point for next weekend's Gotham (gr. III) at Aqueduct.