Broad Rule Hangs On in Fire Plug Stakes
Broad Rule stalked the pace, was under a hard drive to reach the front and held on to win the $105,000 Fire Plug Stakes for older horses at Laurel Park.
Forest Boyce guided the Richard Small trainee to a neck victory in 1:11.60 for the six-furlong distance. Harbor Kid finished a gallant second with long shot frontrunner Flattering Andy third. Three of the four betting favorites (Immortal Eyes, Sportswriter and Wolfcamp) finished off the board. The winner paid $35.20 and topped a $173.60 exacta and $1,624 trifecta.
“It all fell into place today,” Boyce said. “We were spotted right up there. I was going ‘come on wire’ at the 1/16th pole. He dug in and did good.”
The son of Dixie Union was winless in 10 starts a year ago, after closing out his 2011 campaign with back-to-back allowance scores. He was fifth in his past two stakes attempts, the DeFrancis Dash and the Valley Forge Stakes. Small put his runner into perspective.
“It seems every time I get him in, the race is a little too strong,” said Small. “Fourth or fifth, he always runs a real good race. Everything fell into place today. One of the favorites (Sportswriter) didn’t get off too good, that probably didn’t hurt any. Everything sort of went out the window when the gate opened.”
Small indicated Broad Rule could run next in the $250,000 General George Handicap (G3). The seven-furlong sprint is at Laurel on Monday, Feb. 18.
“The horse is a handful to ship so we would like to find something for him here and I don’t think seven furlongs is beyond him,” added Small. “He has been remarkably consistent and he has some ability.”
Broad Rule improved to five-of-26 lifetime with earnings of $238,215.