Built Up wins Ponche by nose

MIAMI - Built Up overcame early trouble and a wide trip to outgame 4-5 favorite Lord Abounding by a nose in Saturday's $75,000 Ponche Handicap at Calder.

Built Up, carrying high weight of 119 pounds, had to take up briefly along the inside in the run down the backstretch of the six-furlong Ponche. Built Up angled four wide while launching his bid into the stretch, overtook Straight A. inside the eighth pole, then was fully extended to withstand a final surge from Lord Abounding.

Lord Abounding, who finished fifth behind Aldebaran in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Handicap in his previous start, raced in perfect striking position behind the pacesetting Love My Mountain but was outmoved, first by Straight A. and then Built Up into the stretch. Seemingly beaten approaching the eighth pole, Lord Abounding reasserted himself under vigorous urging from jockey Manoel Cruz and was gaining gradually on the winner approaching the wire.

Danaher Steve rallied to finish third, followed by Barnacle Steve, Straight A., and Love My Mountain. Juggernaut was scratched.

Built Up, a 5-year-old son of Homebuilder, returned $8. His winning time was a slow 1:12 over a fast track.

Built Up, who has now won three stakes in his last four starts, is trained by Enrique Alonso for owner Raymond Susi.

* High Ideal, a disappointing third as the even-money favorite in the Memorial Day Handicap, bounced back to easily capture the $39,700 Dartsum Stakes in a race taken off the grass and switched to the main track.

High Ideal covered one mile in 1:40.29 under Jesus Castanon and paid $4.80.

Sebastian Light outfinished the winner's stablemate, Shotgun Fire, to be second in a scratch-reduced field of eight.