Einstein makes successful leap

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Winning the Grade 1, $250,000 is becoming second nature to Helen Pitts.

Pitts served as an assistant to trainer Ken McPeek when he won the race in 2004 with Hard Buck and again last year with Prince Arch. Pitts took out her own training license later during the 2005 campaign, and on Saturday she sent out the lightly raced Einstein, who outgamed Go Deputy for a neck victory in the 21st renewal of the race.

A Brazilian-bred son of Spend a Buck, Einstein was taking a huge step up in class on Saturday, making his stakes debut against Grade 1 competition after winning a second-level allowance race in his previous start. He was allowed to set a slow pace over the yielding turf course, fended off a bid from 2-1 favorite Gun Salute around the final bend, then withstood a stretch-long battle with Go Deputy to narrowly prevail.

Gun Salute finished a tiring third, followed by Mustanfar, Broadway View, Honor in War, Request for Parole, and Continuously.

Einstein, foaled in October 2002, is listed as a 4-year-old in the U.S. but is considered a 3-year-old in the Southern Hemisphere. He is owned by the Midnight Cry Stable of owners Shirley Cunningham and Bill Gallion. He paid $16.40 after covering 1 7/16 miles in 2:23.91 over the wet course.

"I thought I bit off more than I could chew until now," said Pitts. "But I've said all along, he's a special horse. He may be only 3, but he's got lots of heart and he's still maturing and developing with each race."

Pitts said Einstein had already been invited to the UAE Derby in Dubai, a dirt race for 3-year-olds on March 25.

"I'm not sure what we'll do next," said Pitts. "We also have a lot of options here for him, too."

* Too Many Toyz was declared a non-starter and all money wagered on the horse was refunded after the doors of his stall failed to open when the field was dispatched for Saturday's third race. Mysterious Boy led throughout to easily win the high-priced 3-year-old claiming event as the 3-5 favorite.

Too Many Toyz was the second horse scratched out of what began as a six-horse field. Charming Image was also a late scratch after stumbling and unseating jockey Edgar Prado in the post parade.