Dugout by a nose in Funny Cide Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The seven-horse field for the $200,000 Funny Cide Stakes dropped to five when Woodbury and Red Zinger were early declarations. After Bustin to Be Loved stumbled at the start and La Fuerza broke outward from the outside stall, Dugout and Bankit were left on the lead. The race stayed that way to the wire, with Dugout exerting himself late to score by a nose.

Dugout, who skipped the post parade and headed directly from the paddock to the backstretch, broke on top. He soon was joined from the inside by Bankit, and the pair fought tooth and nail the length of the stretch in the 6 1/2-furlong race for 2-year-old New York-breds.

At the finish, it was 3 3/4 lengths back from Bankit to Bustin to Be Loved in third. Dalliance finished fourth at 27-1, and 6-5 favorite La Fuerza, who never truly got untracked, ended up last.

Dugout paid $8 as the second choice in the field of New York-bred 2-year-olds. He was timed in 1:16.43 following splits of 22.28 seconds, 45.09, and 1:09.70.

Dugout is now 2 for 2. He won an off-the-turf maiden race at Saratoga in the slop by 7 1/4 lengths in his debut. Javier Castellano was board for both wins.

“He has the speed, he has the stamina,” Castellano said. “Last time, it was 5 1/2 furlongs. Today, it was 6 1/2. He gave me a little extra today.”

Trainer Larry Rivelli said by phone from Chicago that he requested permission from the stewards to skip the post parade with Dugout.

“He got real studdish before his first start and tried to breed the pony,” Rivelli said. “He’s a well-behaved horse, but he just starts acting like an idiot with the ponies, so we asked to skip the post parade.”

Rivelli trained Dugout for his debut at Arlington Park and then shipped him to Saratoga and worked him three more times.

“In Chicago, he outworked some of my expensive horses, but that was on Polytrack,” Rivelli said. “That’s why I entered him on turf first time out. I thought it would take three or four works over the track to get him fit for it.”

Rivelli bred Dugout in partnership with Richard Ravin. Rivelli, Ravin, and Patricia’s Hope LLC own him. Rivelli said Dugout is the first horse they have bred in New York.

“Jean White with the Ocala Equine Hospital deserves all the credit,” Rivelli said. “She handles all of our young horses and arranged everything. She picked out the mare and made all of the arrangements.”

Rivelli said he would likely bring Dugout back to Chicago. He said the son of Adios Charlie is paid up for the Aspirant and New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes in September and would likely compete in those races.

The $117,263 Aspirant is on Sept. 8. The $200,000-estimated New York Breeders’ Futurity is Sept. 29. Both races are at six furlongs.