Strike a deal breaker in the Dixie

Richard Santulli's STRIKE A DEAL (Smart Strike), last seen visiting the

winner's circle after the 2008 Red Smith H. (G2), found it again at the

conclusion of Saturday's $200,000

Dixie S. (G2) at Pimlico. Only sixth in the

2009 edition of the Dixie, six months after his Red Smith triumph, the

six-year-old overcame a layoff of more than 10 months this time to add his name

to the honor roll of one of America's oldest grass stakes.

With no virtually no pace on paper following the scratch of Rockaby Baby (Sahm),

jockey Ramon Dominguez sent Strike a Deal right to the front. A head to the good

of Nicanor (Dynaformer) after a quarter in :23 4/5, Strike a Deal built up a

lead of 1 /2 lengths on that rival through a half in :48 1/5 and six furlongs in

1:12 3/5. Turning for home, the veteran proved to have plenty of gas left in the

tank. Up two lengths a furlong out, he held on gallantly by three parts of a

length as near 4-1 second choice Just as Well (A.P. Indy) grinded his way from

midpack to land the place, a half-length ahead of the 5-1 Rahystrada (Rahy).

Final time for 1 1/8 miles on the firm turf was 1:47 4/5.

Strike a Deal paid $30.20, $13.60 and $8.80 at 14-1. Just as Well

paid $5.60 and $4, while Rahystrada gave back $4.60. The exacta paid

$131.20, the trifecta $831.20, and the 8-4-9-5 superfecta with the near

10-1 Forgotten Dynasty (Dynaformer) returned $8,939.

Following Forgotten Dynasty under the wire were Baltimore Bob (Malibu

Moon), Nicanor, Wesley (El Prado [Ire]), Picou, Coolcullen Times (Ire)

(Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]), 7-2 favorite Grassy (El Prado [Ire]), Pick

Six (Dynaformer) and Lonely Whistle (Say Florida Sandy).

Trained by Alan Goldberg, Strike a Deal captured the Laurel Futurity at two

and the Straight Deal S. at Belmont Park at three, but routinely came up short

in more prestigious events. Among his losses by a length or less were the

Colonial Turf Cup (G3), Virginia Derby (G2), United Nations S. (G1) and Nijinsky

S. (Can-G2). He won the the Red Smith off a runner-up finish in the

Knickerbocker H. (G3), but went unplaced each time in an abbreviated campaign of

three starts last season. His record now stands at 17-5-7-1 with earnings of

$1,052,341.