Gayego hits pay dirt at Oaklawn

Gayego launches a winning move in his dirt debut (Jeff Coady/Horsephotos.com)

Cubanacan Stables' GAYEGO (Gilded Time) edged clear of early leader Tres

Borrachos (Ecton Park) approaching the stretch and fought off a stern test from

Z Fortune (Siphon [Brz]) late to eclipse the $1 million

Arkansas Derby (G2) at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.

The California invader, who went postward

as the clear 2-1 favorite in here, broke well and was content to track the

splits of :22 3/5 and :46 3/5 before commencing his sustained run around the far

turn and down the

lane under Mike Smith. Gayego had a new challenger in Z Fortune in midstretch

but held off that runner by three-quarters of a length at the wire, completing

the 1 1/8 miles over the fast oval in 1:49 3/5. The Paulo Lobo trainee paid

$6.40, $4.40 and $3.80.

"My horse showed he could handle the dirt," Smith said of the colt

whose four previous outings came on synthetic surfaces. "And he also

showed me that he will have no problem getting the mile and a quarter in

Louisville."

Z Fortune was always well placed while wide, moved four deep into the stretch

and closed gamely to finish four lengths clear of his nearest pursuer. The

nearly 7-1 fourth choice gave back $7.40 and $6 while finishing off the $22

exacta ($1). Tres Borrachos stayed on late after being passed by a trio of runners in

the stretch to retain the show at nearly 38-1, paying $14.80 in the process. The

$1 trifecta returned $503.60, and the $1 superfecta (4-10-2-11) yielded

$5,534.20

with Indian Sun (Indian Charlie) in fourth at nearly 25-1.