Dry Martini looks to fill hole on resume

MIAMI - Dry Martini may be the best horse on the grounds yet to win a stakes race - a situation that should be remedied on Monday if the consistent gelding repeats any of his recent performances in the $100,000 Memorial Day Handicap at Calder.

The Grade 3 Memorial Day Handicap will be decided at a 1 1/16 miles and drew a field of eight older horses, including defending champion Siphon City, the red-hot Too Many Toyz, and local favorites Rehoboth and Big Lover. The remainder of the field is Cherion, Rexson's Rose, and Electric Light, who was supplemented into the race at a cost of $3,000.

Dry Martini rose quickly through the ranks after winning his maiden by 9 3/4 lengths here last summer. A son of Slew Gin Fizz, Dry Martini has posted Beyer Speed Figures ranging from 100 to 103 in each of his last five starts, dating back to his second-place finish in his stakes debut here last November. During that span, Dry Martini has also finished third in the Grade 3 Fred Hooper Handicap and fourth in the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park.

The Memorial Day will mark Dry Martini's first start since he rallied to an easy 8 3/4-length optional claiming win at Gulfstream on March 2. Trained by Harry Benson for owners Carol and George Hyren, Dry Martini has worked four times this month in preparation for his return, including a bullet five furlongs on May 11 and a strong mile in 1:46 just six days later.

Elvis Trujillo will be aboard Dry Martini, who carries 114 pounds, two fewer than Siphon City and Too Many Toyz.

Siphon City has seen his form slip badly since he captured both the Memorial Day and the Grade 2 Cornhusker Breeders' Cup handicaps within a six-week span during the spring and summer of 2006. Siphon City has not finished better than fifth in his last six starts, or run at all since tiring badly to finish eighth against allowance opposition at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 12.

Too Many Toyz has never been better, winning 3 of his last 4 starts, including the Sumter Stakes here on May 5. He is likely to face an early challenge for the lead from Rexson's Rose and Electric Light when he makes his graded stakes debut on Monday.

The stretch-running pair of Big Lover and Rehoboth both figure to benefit from a more honest pace after finishing third and fourth behind a loose-on-the-lead Too Many Toyz in the Sumter.