Calder: Lawbook surprises

MIAMI - Tommy Heard won his first stakes race with Be Blue in 1938. He won his most recent stakes 64 years later when Lawbook ran down the previously undefeated Trust N Luck to post a three-quarters of a length decision in the $75,000 Dr. Fager Stakes at Calder.

In the co-featured $75,000 Desert Vixen Stakes, the filly division of the Florida Stallion Stakes series, Fortunate Card outgamed Heavenly Miss by a head following a stirring stretch duel.

Lawbook ($18.40) needed seven starts to finally win his maiden, one of those losses coming at the hands of Trust N Luck. In the rematch Lawbook collared 4-5 favorite Trust N Luck near midstretch before edging away near the wire. It was another 3 1/2 lengths farther back to Supah Blitz.

Lawbook was ridden to victory by Roger Velez. He covered six furlongs in 1:11.28 over a fast track.

"He was bothered in every race before he broke his maiden but would come again even after getting shut off and I like to see that in a horse," said Heard, who also owns Lawbook. "He's just a tough little horse."

Unlike Lawbook, who already had seven starts coming into the Stallion Stakes opener, Fortunate Card ($26.80) had run only one time and was still a maiden prior to the Desert Vixen. But what she lacked in experience she made up for with determination, engaging former stakes winner Heavenly Miss at the head of the stretch before proving gamest in the final strides under jockey Sebastian Madrid.

"She was waiting for the other horse, doing just enough to stay ahead of her which is the sign of a good horse," said Madrid. "It shows they want to fight. And she'll definitely go further."