Mad Flatter Repeats in Spend a Buck

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Photo: Jim Lisa Photos

Mad Flatter takes the Spend a Buck again.

Bonnie Heath Farm's homebred Mad Flatter won the $100,000 Spend a Buck Handicap (gr. III) (VIDEO) for the second straight year when he held off Mambo Meister by a length Oct. 15 at Calder Casino & Race Course in Florida.

Later in the day at Calder, Jacks or Better Farm’s homebred 2-year-old colt Fort Loudon won the $300,000 In Reality Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes, giving the owner/breeder and trainer Stanley Gold a third consecutive sweep.

The team swept the filly series in 2010 with Awesome Feather and sent out Jackson Bend   to sweep the open division in 2009. 

Jockey Luis Jurado has ridden Fort Loudon to each of his Florida Stallion Stakes victories this year. Sent off as the favorite, Fort Loudon defeated Twin by 2 1/2 lengths and covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:48.29 on the fast dirt. He paid $6, $4.40, and $3.20. 

Sarava's Dancer, who set the early pace with Fort Loudon not far behind, finished third.

“I guess this is the icing on the cake," Gold said. "I thought he could do it (sweep). I need to ask Luis what he thought. It looked like he hesitated while he was alongside the other horse in the upper stretch before he went on and drew off. I feel so fortunate to have had these nice horses the last few years.”

Jacks or Better, Gold, and Jurado also won the $300,000 My Dear Girl Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes with homebred 2-year-old filly Awesome Belle, who was a runaway 7 1/2-length winner.           

Awesome Belle set the pace in the 1 1/16 miles contest, completing the distance in 1:47.46.  Macanuda finished second, and Redbud Road--a stablemate of Awesome Belle and winner of the Desert Vixen Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes in August--came in third.

Awesome Belle paid $8.80, $5.00, and $4.00.  The favorite, Queen Drama, finished sixth in the field of eight.

Owner/beeder said Fred Brei said both Fort Loudon and Awesome Belle could be pointed to the Breeders' Cup next month.

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