DeFrancis pre-entries include FabStrike, Kowboy, Vineyard

[Kasept]

LAUREL, MD. 10-16-09---Three of the nation’s elite sprinters and the top two local speedsters are among the 37 pre-entries for the 19th running of the $300,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (Grade I) at Laurel Park next Saturday, Oct. 24.

The De Francis Dash is one of just three Grade I races contested in Maryland, along with the Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of racing’s Triple Crown, and the historic Pimlico Special. The Dash was not carded in 2008 due to a purse account shortfall.

Introduced in 1990, the De Francis Dash is one of the elite six-furlong sprints in the country with four of the 18 winners-Housebuster (1991), Cherokee Run (1994), Smoke Glacken (1997) and Thor’s Echo (2006)-earning Eclipse Award honors for champion sprinter.

Normally contested a month after the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Maryland Jockey Club officials moved the De Francis Dash to accommodate horsemen who prefer not to run over the Pro-Ride synthetic surface at Santa Anita Park, site of the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships on Nov. 6-7.

Fabulous Strike has been first or second in five starts (all Grade I or Grade II sprints) during his six-year-old campaign. Trainer Todd Beattie’s star has 12 lifetime stakes victories, including the Grade I Vosburgh in 2007. The son of Smart Strike finished second in the Grade II General George Handicap in February.

Kodiak Kowboy has defeated Fabulous Strike a pair of Grade I stakes this year: Carter Handicap (Apr. 4) and Vosburgh (Oct. 3). The Dash could be used as a prep race for the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 28, which would give the four-year-old Grade I wins at three different distances this year. The Vosburgh and De Francis Dash are both six-furlongs.

Godolphin Stable’s talented three-year-old Vineyard Haven was disqualified from first and placed second in the Grade I King’s Bishop Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 29. The son of Lido Palace (CHI) won a pair of Grade I races during his two-year-old year.

Laurel Park-based Ravalo and Ah Day have each won 10 stakes races. The former, trained by Donald Barr, has nine stakes victories at the distance, including the Grade III Maryland Sprint Handicap on the Preakness undercard. The latter, conditioned by the legendary King Leatherbury, has won added money races at four different distances.

Maryland Jockey Club stakes coordinator Coley Blind expects General George winner True Quality and Maryland Million Sprint champion Roaring Lion to compete in Laurel’s most important race.

The post position draw for the next Saturday’s card is Wednesday, Oct. 21. The program will also feature a pair of $50,000 Maryland-bred stakes: The Find Handicap and Twixt Stakes.

The first 4,000 full-paid admissions with receive a complimentary “Dash of Color” sweatshirt, which features the silks of the previous 18 winners. Live music will be performed by Mr. Greengenes. In addition there will be sample wines and beer in the Horse Wizard room.