Colt has the Answer on Festival of the Sun Day

Wise Answer dominates In Reality (Dan Dry Photo/Calder Race Course)

J D Farms' homebred WISE ANSWER (Wised Up) wasn't able to take the

first leg of the Florida Stallion S., running second in the Dr. Fager

division, but dominated his state-bred rivals in the second division,

the Affirmed right after that. On Saturday, he continued his supremacy

in the Sunshine State with a 10-length score under a hand ride from

Eibar Coa in the $400,000

In Reality division. The 1 1/16-mile test was but one of eight races

on Calder's Festival of the Sun celebration, and Wise Answer stopped the

clock in 1:45 2/5 on the good dirt while recording the largest margin of

victory in the 26-year history of the race.

Wise Answer was quickest from the gate, but content to settle in

third along the rail as Inner Light (Songandaprayer) moved up to lead

the pack through splits of :23 4/5 and :48. Slipping through along the

inside of that rival, the bay juvenile easily took command and pulled

off to return $2.80, $2.40 and $2.20 as the 2-5 favorite.

"This race was flawless!" trainer David Brownlee enthused. "This colt

has so much class you can do anything with him; he'll relax so you can

take him back and put him anywhere."

Maiden Cigar Man (Drewman) is still looking for that first elusive

win, but was best of the rest when crossing under the wire three parts

of a length in front of Check It Twice (Repent), paying $6.40 and $4 as

the 13-1 fifth choice. Show was worth $3.60 at 13-1, and next under the

wire were Sir Dave (Untuttable), Honey Honey Honey (Awesome of Course),

Big Al (Repent), Inner Light and Tripplite (Trippi). Hey Byrn (Put It

Back) was scratched, and the exotics returned $18.60 (exacta), $74.20

(trifecta) and $335.60 (2-5-6-1 superfecta).

Calico Bay turned the tables on rival Silk Ridge in the My Dear Girl (Dan Dry Photo/Calder Race Course)

It was ladies first as the fillies division of the Florida Stallion

S., the $400,000

My Dear Girl, took place two races prior to the In Reality. Ione and

Herbert Elkins' CALICO BAY (Three Wonders) denied Silk Ridge (Eltish) a

historic sweep of the series by finishing four lengths in front of that

rival on the line. With Manoel Cruz aboard, the Bill Kaplan-trained bay

broke slow and loped along in last before suddenly moving into third

gear and overtaking Silk Ridge to complete 8 1/2 furlongs in 1:48 2/5.

"I wasn't too happy when she didn't break and ended up last, but

sometimes things work out for the best," Kaplan philosophized. "She was

able to relax back there while most of the others were kind of bunched

up front. She's been a good filly from the start and today was her day."

Calico Bay was the 5-1 third choice and paid $13.80, $4 and $3 while

keying the $26.80 exacta, $101.20 trifecta and $432 superfecta

(3-4-7-5). Silk Ridge was game in defeat, easily taking second to return

$2.60 and $2.20 as the 3-5 favorite. It was another 1 3/4 lengths back

to Awesome Dreamer (West Acre), who was worth $2.80 as the 6-1 fourth

pick. Bond Princess (Trippi) followed by 1 1/4 lengths, then it was a

distant 13 1/4 lengths back to Shorty Puffs (B L's Appeal), Natalie'spinkkaty (Graeme Hall) and Mymymyboogieshoes (Pure Precision).

Icendiary (Flame Thrower) set the pace for the first half-mile, but was

eased in the final eight and didn't finish. Asi Asi (Yes It's True) was

pulled up on the backstretch and vanned off.