Flat Out heads a massive field in the Grade 3 Fort Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream Park
It is going to be a big switch for the Preston Stable’s Flat Out, who will be tested on turf for the first time in his career as a 6-year-old, in the Grade 3, $100,000 Fort Lauderdale Stakes, a race that has reeled in a full field, a field of dozen will battle in the 1 1/16 mile event at Gulfstream Park on 11 January, 2012.
The main protagonist of the race will be none other than the 6-year-old Scooter Dickey trained Flat Out, who in his 2011 season emerged as one of the top handicap horses.
The Florida bred son of Flatter, out of mare Cresta Lil by Cresta Rider, Flat Out won the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park, at about 1 1/8 miles, where he defeated Hymn Book and Rodman, in second and third, respectively, while covering the distance in 1 minute and 46.64 seconds.
He then finished second in the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap to winner, Tizway, at Saratoga, and another runner up effort to winner, Havre de Grace, in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga.
Flat Out bounced back to win the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, defeating a solid field, and then finished fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic when he was sent off as the favourite.
Flat Out is exiting a third place finish to Wise Dan in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs.
“We’ve thought about trying him on turf for some time,” said trainer Scooter Dickey.
“We worked him on turf at Churchill last spring and he handled it just fine. We were deciding whether to run him in the Stephen Foster or the Firecracker and decided on the Stephen Foster (sixth last June).
“We worked him on the turf here and decided on this race for a combination of reasons. We still want to try him on the turf and the timing is right to get to the Donn Handicap (gr. I, Feb. 11). If we waited and ran him in the Sunshine Millions (Classic on Jan. 28) it would probably be too quick back to make the Donn.”
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