Flat Out Takes Off in Suburban
Flat Out, the longest shot on the board
at 13-1, barreled widest of all into the lead at the top of the stretch
and onto a 6 ½-length upset in Saturday's 125th edition of the Grade 2,
$300,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park.
Ridden by
Alex Solis, the 5-year-old son of Flatter stayed within hailing distance
as even-money favorite Rodman led the field of six through opening
fractions of 23.95, 47.02 and 1:10.65. Ranging up on the turn, Flat Out
kicked into high gear once straightened for home, powering to the front
and drawing off to hit the wire in 1:46.64 for the 1 1/8 miles.
Hymn Book, the second choice, was up for second, a length ahead of Rodman.
"Today
he was laying perfect," said winning trainer Charles "Scooter" Dickey
of Flat Out, who finished sixth in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at
Churchill Downs two weeks ago. "I've tried to think of several reasons
why he didn't run his normal race [last time]. He came out of it fine
and he's better off running than standing in his stall."
The
victory was the fourth in nine lifetime starts for Flat Out, who
suffered from several quarter-cracks and setbacks earlier in his career,
including a 20-month layoff that stretched from his sixth-place finish
in the Arkansas Derby on April 11, 2009 to December 5, 2010, when he
returned to post a two-length optional claiming win at the Fair Grounds.
In his only start this year before the Stephen Foster, Flat Out was
second in the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap on May 30.
"We
gave him time, and waited on him, and today, he's paying us back," said
Dickey. "We've done everything we can right for him and he's responding
real well and running good."
Flat Out paid $29.20 for a
$2 win bet to his backers in the crowd of 6,441, and earned $180,000
for owner Jack Preston, doubling his bankroll to $359,713.
"This
is only the second time we've taken money from [Belmont Park] back to
Texas," joked Preston, whose Victory Gallop denied Real Quiet the Triple
Crown in 1998. "We've had faith in him the whole time; he's just had
problems, one after the other. He's a super horse and we found out today
how good he is."
Completing the order of finish were Convocation, Colizeo, and Icabad Crane.