Fabulous Strike in a romp

Fabulous Strike ($2.80) outclassed the competition in Tuesday night's $75,000 Sophomore Sprint Championship at Mountaineer Race Track, leading wire to wire and coasting to an 8 3/4-length victory.

No other horse in the field of eight 3-year-olds had even competed in a stakes this season. In contrast, Fabulous Strike, based at Penn National with trainer Todd Beattie, came into the Sophomore Sprint with two minor stakes wins at Belmont Park, a second in the Gallant Bob Handicap at Philadelphia Park, and a fourth in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens, also at Belmont.

Fabulous Strike opened a five-length lead in upper stretch. Jockey Dana Whitney looked back to see that no one was close, put away his whip, and allowed Fabulous Strike to breeze to the wire. The time for six furlongs on a fast track was 1:09.67.

Maryland shipper Talent Search, previously unbeaten in three starts, finished second in his stakes debut.