The Dutrow brothers, Rick and Tony, hold the top hands in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II), a seven-furlong test for 3-year-olds Feb. 20 at Gulfstream Park.
Rick Dutrow will send out a pair of threats in the Hutcheson, which is the first of four graded stakes on a Gulfstream card that is headlined by the $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (gr. II). Trainer of 2008 dual classic winner Big Brown , he will saddle D' Funnybone , a two-time grade II winner as a juvenile, and English-bred Radiohead, winner of the Norfolk Stakes (Eng-II) as Ascot last summer.
Tony Dutrow, who lost top Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) prospect Winslow Homer to injury last month, pins his hopes to A Little Warm, winner of Gulfstream’s Spectacular Bid Stakes on Jan. 9. A field of eight was entered for the Hutcheson.
Bred in Florida by Harold Plumley and owned by Paul Pompa Jr., D’ Funnybone romped by more than 10 lengths in the Saratoga Special (gr. II) and by nearly five in the Futurity Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park, but failed in his first two-turn test when finishing 13th in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) on the Santa Anita Pro-Ride surface last November.
D’ Funnybone broke his maiden by 7 1/4 lengths at Calder in his debut last May while trained by Joseph Calascibetta. The son of D'wildcat—Elbow, by Woodman was later sold privately to Pompa and moved into the barn of Dutrow. Edgar Prado has the mount.
IEAH Stables’ Radiohead makes his second start in the U.S., and first for Dutrow. The son of Johannesburg won two of six starts in England as a juvenile, and was twice group I placed. He finished seventh in his U.S. debut in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile while trained by Brian Meehan. Julien Leparoux has the mount on Radiohead, who drew post 1.
Edward Evans’ homebred A Little Warm broke his maiden by nearly 11 lengths at Philadelphia Park in November, then came from just off the pace to edge away late in winning the six-furlong Spectacular Bid on the slop. The son of Stormin Fever—Minidar, by Alydar, will have Jeremy Rose aboard once again and break from the outside post.
Second by 1 1/2 lengths in the Spectacular Bid was Monarch Stables’ Wildcat Frankie from the barn of James Hatchett. The Wildcat Heir colt went almost wire-to-wire a month later in allowance company at Gulfstream in a one-mile contest. Paco Lopez has the call.
Other contenders are Anstu Stables’ Ibboyee, who disappointed as the 2-5 favorite when finishing fourth in the Jan. 2 Count Fleet at Aqueduct for Todd Pletcher, and Jacks or Better Farm’s Hear Ye Hear Ye, the Jack Price Juvenile Stakes winner at Calder in November. D’ Funnybone easily handled Hear Ye Hear Ye twice in 2009.
$150,000 Hutcheson (gr. II, Race 8, 4:37 p.m.), 3YO, 7 Furlongs (Dirt)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Radiohead (GB), J R Leparoux, 122, R E Dutrow, Jr.
2. City Trooper (NY), G K Gomez, 116, G Weaver
3. Ibboyee (NY), J R Velazquez, 120, T A Pletcher
4. Sum Champ (KY), C H Velasquez, 116, W P White
5. Wildcat Frankie (FL), P Lopez, 116, J Hatchett
6. Hear Ye Hear Ye (FL), J Sanchez, 120, S I Gold
7. D' Funnybone (FL), E S Prado, 122, R E Dutrow, Jr.
8. A Little Warm (VA), J Rose, 120, A W Dutrow