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Benny the Bull's late rush captures True North The principals of IEAH Stables and trainer Richard Dutrow Jr., the connections of Triple Crown candidate Big Brown (Boundary), got their Belmont S. (G1) day off to happy if nerve-wracking start as their star sprinter BENNY THE BULL (Lucky Lionel) turned what appeared to be certain defeat into a neck victory in the $250,000 True North H. (G2). Spinning his wheels while bidding out in the middle of the track, Benny the Bull was still four lengths adrift of Man of Danger (Tiger Ridge) with a furlong to go, but the chalk finally got into gear under Edgar Prado and prevailed with little ground to spare. The heavy 1-2 favorite, Benny the Bull returned $3, $2.40 and $2.10 while keying the $14.40 exacta and $47.40 trifecta (7-8-4). Man of Danger, the 9-1 fourth choice, led for all but the last few jumps, setting early fractions of :22 and :44 4/5 while Benny the Bull completed six furlongs in 1:09 over a fast strip. Man of Danger returned $5.50 and $3.30 after finishing a neck ahead of 5-1 second choice Abraaj (Carson City), who paid $2.90 to show. Thor's Echo (Swiss Yodeler), the 2006 champion sprinter making his first start since March 2007, finished fourth and was followed by Council Member (Seattle Slew), Suave Jazz (Suave Prospect) and Saint Daimon (Saint Ballado). The latter was vanned off after the race after suffering what was believed to be heat related stress. Storm in May (Tiger Ridge) was an early scratch. The True North was the third win in as many starts this campaign for Benny the Bull. He captured the Sunshine Millions Sprint by 4 1/2 commanding lengths in his five-year-old debut, and then captured the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) down the Nad al Sheba straightaway by 1 3/4 lengths. "I wasn't concerned about him coming into this race off his Dubai win because he had been training so well," Dutrow said. "I was more concerned with him at the eighth-pole, that he wouldn't win. We let him run his own race, and he got up there just in time. Obviously, he's better than he was last year. He has been coming around the right way at the right time. We'll have to see how he comes out of this race to see what's ahead." Owned in a partnership that also includes James Cohen, Pegasus Holdings Group Stables and Sanford Robbins, Benny the Bull improved his record to 16-8-1-2 with earnings of $1,983,550. After his first stakes victory in the Iowa Sprint H. last June, a major interest in Benny the Bull was acquired by IEAH Stables, and he was transferred to Dutrow. The dark bay then posted three solid efforts, finishing fourth in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G2), second in the Forego S. (G1) and fourth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), but he has blossomed ever since then. Benny the Bull was an emphatic winner of the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S. (G1) last November. Bred by Tomoka Farms in Florida, Benny the Bull was originally purchased for $38,000 at the 2004 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The first registered foal from stakes heroine Comet Cat (Birdonthewire), he has an unnamed juvenile half-brother by Broken Vow. This is the family of Blue Finn (Empery), Canada's champion two-year-old colt in 1986, and Grade 3-winning millionaire Maysville Slew (Slew City Slew). Benny the Bull's fourth dam, Consequential (Dr. Fager), is a three-quarter sister to Killaloe (Dr. Fager), the dam of 1981 Metropolitan H. (G1) hero and outstanding sire Fappiano (Mr. Prospector).
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