Dutrows clash in Hutcheson

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - It will be brother against brother and, more important, top 3-year-old prospect against top 3-year-old prospect Saturday, when trainer Anthony Dutrow sends out A Little Warm against the Rick Dutrow-trained D' Funnybone in the Grade 2, $150,000 Hutcheson at Gulfstream Park.

A Little Warm, who will go off as perhaps the slight favorite in the seven-furlong Hutcheson, will attempt to build on his 1 1/2-length victory in here earlier in the meet. The Spectacular Bid, which was decided over a sloppy track, was the second impressive win in a row for A Little Warm, who Tony Dutrow said has become a different horse since that race.

"He's always been a pretty laid-back horse, but I'm starting to see a big difference in the aspect of him being more confident and mature," he said. "I always spend time with him around the barn in the afternoons, and before, he had always been kind and nice about things. Now he's a major handful."

A Little Warm rallied from mid-pack in his two victories, but Dutrow said he wouldn't be surprised to see A Little Warm a little closer to the pace Saturday.

"I'm not predicting anything, but he showed in his last work and the way he's acting that he's got run on his mind, and we may see him show more speed on Saturday, especially with the stretch out," said Dutrow.

Dutrow downplayed the significance of his match-up with Rick, his younger brother.

"Ricky is an awesome trainer, and going up against him is never a fun thing for me or any other trainer," he said. "But what's more important to me is that my brother has a very nice horse, and I'm anxious to send my colt up against a quality horse like D' Funnybone. If we can beat him, then the racing community should recognize A Little Warm as a quality horse as well."

D' Funnybone has not started since finishing 13th and last after pressing the early pace in last summer in New York.

"He's ready to run," said Rick Dutrow, who also entered Radiohead in the Hutcheson but scratched him Saturday morning. "Seven furlongs is a good distance for him and a good distance to start him back. I won't rule anything out with him down the road. This race will tell us what to do, I'm sure."

Wildcat Frankie will be back to take another shot at A Little Warm, who handed him his only defeat in three starts in the Spectacular Bid. Wildcat Frankie rebounded from that setback with a 1 1/4-length victory at a mile two weeks ago.

Ibboyee is a three-time New York-bred stakes winner. In his 3-year-old debut, he finished fourth as the 2-5 favorite in , his lone start against open company.

City Trooper, Sum Champ, and Hear Ye Hear Ye complete the lineup.