Parimutuels

Extruding Dream sets mark in Classic

By DON JENSEN
Published February 5, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - Extruding Dream turned in a magical performance in the $100,000 Distance Classic on Saturday night at Derby Lane.

Running for Magic City Kennel, Extruding Dream won the track's richest distance race in stakes-record time. He led from box to wire, defeating Okie Mallie by 5 lengths as the 7-5 favorite. The 2-year-old black male, owned by Randy Finegan, Joe Ametrano and Bruce Caldwell, was clocked in 36.82 seconds for 660 yards, eclipsing the mark of 37.09 seconds by J's Habanero in 2005.

It was the 19th victory from 32 starts this season for Extruding Dream, the meet wins leader. A season-high crowd of 3,516 watched as he broke alertly from the No. 2 box and was never challenged. The Doug Flint trainee raced in the middle of the track the entire way.

"The whole key to the race was the break," Flint said. "He broke with the one (Okie Mallie) and when he got the lead, I figured it was all over with."

Extruding Dream, out of Impossible Dream and Iwantthattrophy, earned $32,000 in the 47th annual event. He paid $4.80, $3 and $2.80. Okie Mallie returned $5.20 and $6.20. Greys Tarmac paid $6.40 for third. The remaining order of finish was Greys Big Guns, Greys Midas Eyes, Uss Santa Fe, 2005 Distance Classic runnerup Its Dust Em and Jr's Boy.

The next assignment for Extruding Dream is the Derby Lane Million, which begins Saturday.

"It was a great race," Finegan said. "Words can't describe it.

"What we were hoping was no bad luck. We knew we had the top dog at the meet and what we thought was the best distance dog at the time. Certainly, he needs a little room to run as well. Given the post position any differently with Its Dust Em on the inside, anything else could have turned out."

Its Dust Em, which broke from the No. 5 box, is the track's 660-yard record-holder at 36.75 seconds, which she set during Distance Classic qualifying Jan. 25.

[Last modified February 5, 2006, 01:23:11]