De Francis Dash attracts four BC runners

Four horses who competed in last month's Breeders' Cup program are among eight older sprinters entered Wednesday for Saturday's Grade 1 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park.

Talent Search and Benny the Bull, third and fourth in the BC Sprint, head the $250,000, six-furlong Dash, one of four stakes on Saturday's Fall Festival of Racing program. The card also features a pair of $125,000 stakes for 2-year-olds and the $50,000 Maryland Million Starter Handicap.

The two other 2007 BC performers in the Dash are High Finance, a Grade 2 winner this year who was last of eight in the inaugural Dirt Mile, and the filly Miraculous Miss, who just missed at 43-1 in the Filly and Mare Sprint.

Aside from High Finance, the Dash's other 2007 graded stakes winners are Saint Anddan, who captured the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Handicap on the Kentucky Derby undercard, and Will He Shine, who won the Grade 2 True North Handicap at Belmont.

Talent Search was second in both the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Handicap at Pimlico and the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont Park before taking third at 17-1 in the BC Sprint behind Midnight Lute and Idiot Proof.

Benny the Bull gave his most impressive performance of the season when he was second in the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga.

A pair of allowance-caliber sprinters, Hi Time Scott and Holly Time, complete the Dash field. Holly Time will run coupled with Benny the Bull for trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.

The 1 1/16-mile Laurel Futurity, won by 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro two years ago, has 15 entrants, though only 14 will be permitted to start. The field is topped by Adriano, fourth of 12 in the Grade 1 Lane's End Breeders' Futurity on Polytrack at Keeneland, and Cowboy Cal, a Todd Pletcher-trained colt who won a rapidly run maiden race at Belmont.

The 13-horse Selima, also at 1 1/16 miles, is led by Wind in My Wings, winner of the $150,000 Jessamine at Keeneland, plus Grace and Power, third in the $250,000 Epitome BC at Monmouth.