Longshot Sea Dub Posts Biggest
Upset in Lone Star Stakes History (June 18, 2005)
- 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 at Lone
Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Sea Dub, the longest shot on the board at 53-1 in the field of
11 older horses, 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.
"You know, he led almost every step of the way and he galloped
out in front, too," Fullbridled's trainer Leonard Powell said.
"Every step except 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.
"Larry did a real good job," Petalino said. "He
rode him to perfection. He'd been knocking on the door, he really
has. His speed figures were comparable with most of these in here."
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.
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