Dixie Dot Com Wins Texas Mile by 6 1/2 Lengths

Dixie Dot Com raced up close early en route to a 6 1/2-length win over Mr Ross in the $300,000 Texas Mile Stakes (gr. III) Saturday on a fast track at Lone Star Park.

Hal's Hope and 4-5 favorite Wooden Phone dueled through fractions of :23.48 and :46.06 with Dixie Dot Com just over a length off the lead. Dixie Dot Com rallied under jockey David Flores to take a 2 1/2 length advantage over Hal's Hope after six furlongs run in 1:09.61 and completed the final quarter-mile in :25.11 seconds while drawing away in the stretch, stopping the timer in 1:34.72. Mr Ross finished second, 3 3/4 lengths ahead of 41-1 longshot Five Straight. Wooden Phone came home fourth, followed by Captain Countdown, Hal's Hope, and Doctor Mike.

Dixie Dot Com (Dixie Brass - Sky Meadows, by Conquistador Cielo) finished second in last month's Berkeley Handicap (gr. III) when last out after a fourth-place finish in the San Carlos Handicap (gr. I) in his 6-year-old debut. The William J. Morey Jr.-trained horse last won in January of 2000, winning the San Pasqual Handicap (gr. II) by 1 1/2 lengths over Budroyale. His only other graded stakes win came in a 4 1/2-length romp over Event of the Year in the 1999 San Fernando Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II). Carole and Don Chaiken and Mr. and Mrs. Bart Heller's injury-plagued horse has yet to race more than five times in one year, accomplishing that in his 3-year-old season. Dixie Dot Com earned $180,000 for the win, his seventh in 19 starts. He was bred in Kentucky by Martha Buckner.

Dixie Dot Com returned $7.20, $4, and $4.20. Mr Ross paid $3.80 and $3.60. Five Straight was worth $6.60 to show. The winning exacta combination returned $33. (Chart, Equibase)