Calder: Wake-up call for Mr. Livingston

MIAMI - Mr. Livingston, who has shown flashes of brilliance during his injury-plagued career, displayed one of those flashes at Calder when he rallied to a decisive four-length victory in the $75,000 Carterista Handicap.

Mr. Livingston won a pair of overnight stakes here last season but had not been better than fifth in four starts since winning the Nijinsky's Secret on July 25. The Carterista was his first outing since he finished last under allowance conditions at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 11.

But under a perfect ride from seldom-used jockey Chris Morales, Mr. Livingston saved ground throughout, slipped through along the hedge to engage the tiring leader, Hear No Evil, into the stretch, and then drew off to an easy victory. Believe I Can Fly rallied from far back to finish second, three-quarters of a length before Marco's Word.

Magic Mecke, the 2-1 favorite in a scratch-reduced field of nine, raced very wide around the second turn but lacked his customary closing response and beat only the tiring Sir Ray.

The 7-year-old Mr. Livingston ($24.40) covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.55 over a firm turf course.

"We had to give him time off because of a quarter crack problem," said trainer Bill Kaplan. "But I knew he was coming back good the way he worked with the dogs way out in the course the other day."