Action Andy Nips Il Villano in De Francis Dash

Action Andy, closing relentlessly on the outside, got up in the final strides by a whisker over a game Il Villano in a terrific finish to win the $350,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park Oct. 27.

The De Francis Dash highlighted a big afternoon of racing at the Maryland track that included four other six-figure stakes on the Fall Festival of Racing program.

Action Andy, ridden by Horacio Karamanos, won his second straight over the course and distance after taking the Maryland Million Sprint Oct. 6 by 2 3/4 lengths. Trained by Carlos Garcia for owner Robert Gerczak, the 5-year-old Maryland-bred gelding by Gators N Bears out of the Not For Love   mare Love Me Twice was sent off at odds of 10-1.

The winning margin was officially a nose in a time of 1:10.61 for six furlongs on a fast track. Action Andy won for the sixth time in 10 starts in 2012.