Pyscho Dar has first stakes victory in Harris Farms Stakes

Psycho Dar, claimed for $25,000 last December, won the first stakes of his career in his 38th start in Saturday’s $75,000 Harris Farms Stakes for California-bred sprinters at The Big Fresno Fair in California.

Ridden by Armando Ayuso, Psycho Dar ($22) led throughout the six-furlong race, setting fractions of 23.29 for the opening quarter-mile and a half-mile in 45.61 before finishing in 1:09.98. Psycho Dar earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 93.

Top Harbor (6-1) finished second, beaten three lengths, while 8-1 Ultimate Bango finished third.

Clem Labine, Fashionably Fast, and Cool Mountain Lad completed the order of finish. Fashionably Fast, who won the Harris Farms Stakes in 2019 and 2021, was the 2-5 favorite. He was in contention for the first half of the race, but faded through the stretch.

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On Sunday, trainer Dean Pederson said Fashionably Fast was in good condition and scheduled to return to his base at Santa Anita in coming days.

“He appeared fine,” Pederson said. “We’ll reevaluate and regroup. If he gets to bucking and playing, we’ll carry on. If he acts like he needs to go home, so be it.”

“I’d rather get beat the way I did. He didn’t run a jump as opposed to getting beat a half-length or a neck and thinking how did that….horse beat me.”

Psycho Dar, who broke from the rail, dueled for the early lead with Fashionably Fast and Top Harbor before taking command in the stretch.

Psycho Dar, a 7-year-old gelding by Storm Wolf, races for Mary Tucker and trainer Sam Calvario.

Psycho Dar has earned $135,190. Psycho Dar was third in two stakes earlier this year at Golden Gate Fields – the El Dorado Shooter Stakes at six furlongs for statebreds in February and the Albany Stakes at five furlongs on turf against open company on June 11.

Psycho Dar won a five-furlong allowance race on turf at Golden Gate Fields in Sept. 16 in a prep for the Harris Farms Stakes.

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