'Dat You' stuns Xtra Heat

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Dat You Miz Blue soundly defeated odds-on Xtra Heat in Saturday's $81,650 Garland of Roses Handicap for fillies and mares at Aqueduct.

Dat You Miz Blue blew by Xtra Heat, the 3-5 favorite in the five-horse field, around the far turn and motored home through the mud, a 2 1/4-length winner. Xtra Heat was 5 3/4 lengths clear of the third-place finisher, Belle Artiste, in the six-furlong race.

It was Xtra Heat's first race since being privately purchased by S. David Plummer's ClassicStar Stable last month for $1.5 million. In her last start, Xtra Heat finished sixth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Arlington Park on Oct. 26.

Xtra Heat, who was ridden by Rick Wilson and carried high weight of 127 pounds, battled early with Astrid and Redhead Riot before grabbing the lead after a quarter in 22.41 seconds. Dat You Miz Blue, the 9-5 second choice with John Velazquez in the saddle, took off like a rocket when asked around the turn.

"I wanted to do it quick enough to put some distance between [Dat You Miz Blue and Xtra Heat]," Velazquez said. "I didn't want to sit, sit, and then come to [Xtra Heat]."

John Salzman Sr., Xtra Heat's trainer, said his filly didn't care for the mud.

"She doesn't handle that wet track," Salzman. "The jock told me that at Arlington. She is not the same horse as she is on a fast track. She ran a credible race, but got beat."

Wilson said, "I could tell she was slipping a little bit as soon as she left the gate."

Salzman said the plan is to point Xtra Heat to the Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park in February. Xtra Heat, who is now 24 for 33 in her career, won the Grade 2 Fritchie last year.

New York-bred Dat You Miz Blue ($5.80) covered the distance in 1:10.10. A 5-year-old daughter of Cure the Blues, Dat You Miz Blue is owned by Cynthia Knight and trained by Jimmy Jerkens.

Jerkens was not in attendance and Dat You Miz Blue was saddled by his brother, Steve.