At age 3, Vineyard Haven is still having new experiences, and Saturday's race was tough in several respects. Starting in the No. 1 post, the son of Lido Palace broke slowly and found himself running eighth out of the gate.
"He didn't like the mud hitting him in his face," Mettee said. "But Alan was able to find the inside room."
Vineyard Haven needed the short path because his other challenge was running against the likes of Ravalo, age 5, Fleet Valid, Ah Day and Peace Chant, all age 6, and Sacred Journey and True Quality, a pair of 4-year-olds.
"The mud may have worked in our favor because there was a lot of speed out there," Mettee said. "They were quick, running the half in 44 and change [44.68]. The De Francis Dash is one of the harder sprint races to win in this country. There are a lot of very talented, seasoned horses in the Mid-Atlantic at this time, and this was as good a race as he has ever run.
"Going three-quarters instead of seven-eighths makes it an entirely different race, and these horses run hard every step. He had to go out and win this race today. There were good local horses, and they were tough to beat."
The going was so tough, in fact, that Garcia, Vineyard Haven's jockey, wasn't sure he had enough horse to cover the course.
"I wasn't sure," said Garcia, who appeared to bump his way past Roaring Lion to get the inside track. "But when the rail opened, my horse just started running for the hole."
NOTES: : Sarto, a 4-year-old by Dixie Union under the direction of jockey Joe Rocco Jr., won the $50,000 Find Handicap for Maryland-breds, beating In the Juice by 1 1/4 lengths. He covered the nine furlongs in 1:51.04 and paid $12.40. The favorite in the race, Sumacha'hot, winner of the Maryland Million Classic, finished fifth.
In the day's other stakes race for Maryland-breds, Five Diamonds had her way, winning the $50,000 Twixt Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by 2 3/4 lengths over favorite Love's Blush.
Trained by John Salzman Jr. and ridden by Harry Vega, the winning daughter of Flatter covered the mile in 1:37.89 and paid $7.80.
