Hutcheson

Starlight Stable, Saylor and Lucarelli's KEYED ENTRY (Honour and Glory) sped

to the early lead in Saturday's $150,000

Hutcheson S. (G2) and repulsed the

challenge of First Samurai (Giant's Causeway), winning the 7 1/2-furlong event

in the slop at Gulfstream Park by 1 1/4 lengths. Now perfect from three starts,

the Todd Pletcher-trained colt captured his stakes debut in 1:27 with John

Velazquez up.

"I was very pleased," Pletcher said. "This horse has been training

exceptionally well since he got down here (in South Florida). Obviously, it's a

big step to go from an '(one) other than' (allowance) to run against a Grade 1

winner like First Samurai. The plan now is to gradually stretch him out."

Keyed Entry, who won his career debut at Monmouth Park last July, recorded a

5 1/2-length tally in a six-furlong event at Gulfstream in early January and has

now earned $132,000. As the 5-2 second choice on Saturday, he paid $7.40, $2.60

and $2.10 for his upset of the 3-5 favorite. First Samurai, who finished 16

lengths better than the 20-1 Express News (Storm Cat) in third, gave back $2.10

and $2.10, and show was worth $2.10. Catcominatcha (Tale of the Cat), Fabled

(Tale of the Cat), Almost Certain (Favorite Trick) and Blazing Rate (Exchange

Rate) came next under the wire. City Attraction (Vicar) was scratched. The $1

exotics totaled $7.80 (exacta), $47.40 (trifecta) and $205.20 for the 2-7-4-3

superfecta.

The winner broke a step slowly from the inside but quickly sprinted forward

to lead First Samurai by a length through an opening quarter-mile in :22, and

the two maintained their positions through a blazing half-mile in :44. First

Samurai offered a rally leaving the far turn, but Keyed Entry, who completed six

panels in 1:07 3/5, responded to urging from Velazquez and held his rival at bay

the rest of the way.

Keyed Entry spoiled the much anticipated seasonal bow of Champagne S. (G1)

and Hopeful S. (G1) winner First Samurai, but the runner-up didn't run poorly in

his first step toward the Kentucky Derby (G1).

"I thought he ran well," trainer Frank Brothers said of First Samurai. "That

was a top-class horse that he was running with, and you can't take anything away

from him, but I thought my horse ran well for his first start off the bench in

three months. We're going to stretch him out."

The top two finishers could meet again in the March 4 Fountain of Youth S.

(G2).

Bred in Kentucky by Oakbrook Farm, Keyed Entry is out of the Cryptoclearance

mare Ava Knowsthecode, who finished third in the 1997 Senorita S. (G3) and is

also the dam of the stakes-winning Alex's Allure (Sky Classic) and the

two-year-old filly Code Variance (Awesome Again). The dark bay colt was a

$145,000 yearling purchase at the 2004 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale.