Dutcher escapes shadow of stablemate in Refrigerator Handicap
Dutcher will shake his world champion stablemate Jessies First Down on Saturday night, when he runs in the Grade 1, $75,000 Refrigerator Handicap at Lone Star Park. The 440-yard race is the meet’s premier offering for older Quarter Horses.
The field of 10 also includes Heza Bell Perry, a winner of four of his last five starts, and He Is the Risingstar, who comes off a 550-yard stakes victory at Retama Park.
Dutcher has hooked Jessies First Down in two of his last three starts. The pair met in April at Sam Houston, with Jessies First Down capturing the Grade 2 Championship Challenge and Dutcher running third. The Jimmy Padgett trainees traveled to The Downs at Albuquerque for the $250,000 Fall Championship on Sept. 24, with Jessies First Down winning and Dutcher finishing fourth in the 440-yard race.
Dutcher was making his first start since May, when he finished second by a neck in the Grade 2 Sam Houston Classic, and would seem to have reason to move forward Saturday. He also is returning to the Lone Star surface, over which he was a dominant trial winner for the Texas Classic Derby in 2016 before finishing second in the Grade 1 finale last November.
Dutcher on Saturday will break from post 8, with Rodrigo Vallejo aboard for owners Jumonville Farms and Brian Ranch.
Heza Bell Perry is the winningest member of the Refrigerator field. He is seeking career victory 13 and will be making his 30th start. Heza Bell Perry has been on top of his game since February, when he won an allowance at Louisiana Downs. He has since won stakes at Sam Houston, Delta Downs, and Fair Grounds.
He Is the Risingstar is making his Lone Star debut after spending the bulk of his career racing at Los Alamitos. He is co-highweighted at 125 pounds, along with Dutcher and Heza Bell Perry.