Strike a deal breaker in the Dixie

Strike a Deal struck in the Dixie (Wendy Uzelac/EquiSport Photos)

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.