Xtra Heat melts Big Bambu in Delaware stretch

The highly anticipated matchup between graded stakes winners Xtra Heat and Big Bambu ended at the quarter pole of Saturday's six-furlong Endine Stakes at Delaware Park. That's where Xtra Heat disposed of Big Bambu en route to a 5 1/4-length victory.

Ivy's Jewel finished 2 1/2 lengths in front of a tired Big Bambu, who took third in the field of five in the Grade 3 Endine, a $150,000 race for fillies and mares.

Owned by Kenneth Taylor and partners and trained by John Salzman, Xtra Heat ($3.20) set fractions of 21.55 seconds and 44.12 under Rick Wilson, and won in 1:09.64.

The victory was the 16th in 19 starts for Xtra Heat, a 3-year-old filly by Dixieland Heat.

Xtra Heat will likely make her next start in the six-furlong $100,000 Sweet and Sassy Stakes at Delaware on Sept. 29. A victory there would put Xtra Heat, a $5,000 auction purchase last year, over the $1 million career earnings mark.

If she runs well, Salzman is considering sending her to face older males in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Belmont Park on Oct. 27.

* Concerned Minister ($4.60), making his second start off a long layoff, won the $76,200 Owners' Day Handicap, earning a Beyer Figure of 112 for 1 1/8 miles. As a 3-year-old last December, Concerned Minister posted a 121 Beyer at Fair Grounds. Trained by Bud Delp, Concerned Minister now has won 6 of 11 career starts.

* Crystal Sea ($4), back on her best surface and distance after an unsucessful try sprinting on dirt, went wire to wire to win the $75,900 George Rosenberger Memorial for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf.