Six-year-old gelding Sea Dub posted the biggest upset in a Lone Star Park stakes race when he ran down 9-5 favorite Fullbridled in the final strides of Saturday's $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup in Grand Prairie, Texas.The longest shot on the board at 53-1 in the field of 11 older horses, Sea Dub paid $109.40 to win. The previous record stakes win payoff was I Are Sharp's $101 return in the very first race in Lone Star history, the Premiere Stakes on April 17, 1997. "He just was doing exceptionally good, so I'm not as surprised to see him win as the betting public was," said winning trainer Joe Petalino.Under jockey Larry Taylor, Sea Dub ran 1 1/8 miles on a firm turf course in 1:48.82 and won by a head. In the early stages, he settled off the rail in sixth, made a move just before entering the final turn and rallied three-wide in the stretch before running down California invader Fullbridled."I was always where I wanted to be," Taylor said. "You can't make the lead too early with this horse because he wants to pull himself up. When we did make the lead, he kind of wanted to lay down, but we got there at the right time."Fullbridled, an allowance winner trying stakes' company for the first time, found himself on the early lead. The 4-year-old ran the first quarter mile in :24.22, the half-mile in :48.05, three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.74 and one mile in 1:36.35 before being caught at the wire.Sea Dub, owned by Doyle Williams, earned $120,000 for the victory and increased his career earnings to $358,183. It was his first win in seven starts this year and just his sixth victory – and third stakes triumph – in 46 starts. Last year, the Sea Hero gelding won the $75,000 Independence Day Handicap at Louisiana Downs and the $40,000 Buffalo Bayou Stakes at Sam Houston.Major Rhythm finished another 2 ¾ lengths back in third. Waupaca, Oncearoundtwice, Erroneous I D, Dynareign, Crowned King, Alpha Capo, Gulf News, and Absent Friend completed the order of finish.
(Chart, Equibase)
