Christine's Outlaw just lasts

ELMONT, N.Y. - Before Saturday's Grade 3 , Christine's Outlaw had run in nine stakes on the dirt with moderate success. Christine's Outlaw's luck changed in the Poker when he hung on to win his first stakes by a neck over favored Millennium Dragon before a crowd of 7,538 at Belmont Park.

Under Shaun Bridgmohan, Christine's Outlaw set the pace in the one-mile Poker and held off the late-closing Millennium Dragon, who was ridden by Mike Luzzi. Luzzi lodged an objection against the winner, claiming that Christine's Outlaw drifted out under Bridgmohan's left-handed whip in the stretch. The stewards disallowed the claim of foul.

"My horse got into an idle a little bit and I showed him the whip," Bridgmohan said. "I thought he was in the clear."

Christine's Outlaw jumped out to the lead in the $112,600 Poker and set solid fractions of 23.17 seconds, 46, and 1:09.19 on his way to a final time of 1:32.46 over a firm course. At the top of the stretch, Christine's Outlaw brushed off challenges from Burning Roma and Silver Tree.

Millennium Dragon, the 2-1 favorite in the nine-horse field, saved ground down the backstretch and into the turn. When Luzzi angled him out for the stretch drive, Millennium Dragon kicked strongly. It appeared Christine's Outlaw was clear of Millennium Dragon when he drifted out slightly in the final yards.

Christine's Outlaw returned $29.60.

Silver Tree finished third, 2 1/2 lengths behind Millennium Dragon. Completing the order of finish were Megoman, Chilly Rooster, Burning Roma, Provincetown, Pisces, and Multiple Choice.

Trained by George Weaver, Christine's Outlaw, a 4-year-old son of Wild Again, is owned by R C Hill Stable. Weaver said grass and dirt races are future options for Christine's Outlaw.

"We're not committed either way," Weaver said. "But his record on grass is pretty good."

In two allowance starts on grass before the Poker, Christine's Outlaw had a first and a second.

Weaver said Christine's Outlaw would probably be pointed to the $200,000 Fourstardave, a turf race at Saratoga on Aug. 28.