Ethan Man sprints like a dream in Swale

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Just because Ethan Man has shown himself to be a prototypical miler doesn't mean Pat Byrne isn't tempted to try him at a classic distance. Ethan Man, a son of Glitterman, was highly impressive in drawing off to win the seven-furlong on the Gulfstream Park undercard Saturday, leading Byrne to name the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass Stakes as the colt's next possible start.

"This is the time of year that everyone wants to stretch out," said Byrne, who trains Ethan Man for West Point Thoroughbreds. "Why is that?"

Everyone knows the answer - because of the Kentucky Derby. With his three-length triumph over Listen Here in the 17th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Swale, Ethan Man lived up to odds-on favoritism, finishing in 1:22.29 over a fast track and returning $3.40 to win.

Governor Hickel finished another 2 1/4 lengths back in third, followed by Axis and Vinemeister.

"If we're going to think about the Derby, then we might as well give him a true test," said Byrne, referring to the April 13 Blue Grass. "We still might go in the Lexington" a week later, at 1 1/16 miles. "We can always back him up if things don't go right."

Given a perfect outside trip by Pat Day, Ethan Man took a short lead into the stretch and steadily drew clear from Listen Here, who was making his first start since November.

"That wasn't bad, considering we'd been off a while," said Bill Mott, trainer of Listen Here.

Ethan Man now has won 3 of 4 starts. The Swale was his stakes debut.

The 5-4 exacta paid $6.40 and the 5-4-1 trifecta paid $10.60.

Florida-bred stakes

There were two other Saturday stakes, both restricted to Florida-breds.

* Bay Street Gal ($6.60), the slight favorite under Eibar Coa, led every step of the way to win the $145,100 One Dreamer Stakes. She prevailed by 1 1/2 lengths over longshot Company Storm, with Clearly a Queen another 1 1/4 lengths back in third.

Bay Street Gal, a homebred owned by John Scott and trained by Enrique Alonso, finished one mile in 1:33.81 over firm turf.

- Unite's Big Red, turning back from longer distances, was up in the final strides to defeat front-running Honorable Pic by a half-length in the $143,100 Equalize Stakes. Jose Santos was aboard the winner, who returned $16 to win after finishing a mile in 1:33.40.

Unite's Big Red, owned by Randy Mills and trained by Gary Cortolillo, now has won 12 of 42 career starts and earned more than $816,000.

Stokosky finished third while Band Is Passing, the even-money favorite, faded to fifth.