Fulmine Wins Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park by 2¾ Lengths

Fulmine physically towered over his rivals before the race even began, and by the time the six furlongs were done, there was no doubt about the order of finish either. The massive dark bay son of Spun to Run, owned by Starry Night Racing's Rachel Gerson, drew off to a 2¾-length victory in the 72nd running of the Hutcheson Stakes on March 14 at Gulfstream Park, stopping the clock at 1:10.82 and returning $9.80 on a win bet.

The complexion of the race shifted before the first stride. Arbiter, a speedy front-runner who had been among the race favorites, was scratched prior to the start. Then post-time favorite Diciassette stumbled badly at the break and dropped to last. Trainer Kent Sweezey recognized the opening immediately. "As soon as I saw the favorite stumble out of the gate, I knew we'd get a couple of lengths on him," he said.

Jockey Jose E. Morelos responded to the early chaos with patience rather than urgency. "The horse broke slow, but I didn't panic. I was able to relax the horse and put him in a good position," Morelos said. "At the half-mile pole I asked the horse to run and he responded very well." Fulmine pulled alongside the pacesetter, then asserted himself through the stretch, pulling clear with authority. Wootun held second, a further 2¼ lengths in front of the recovering Diciassette.

The victory carried particular weight given Fulmine's recent history. After two unsuccessful tries on turf to open his 3-year-old campaign, trainer J. Kent Sweezey pointed him back to the dirt surface that first showcased his ability, and the colt answered with his first stakes win. Sweezey did not understate what the Hutcheson means on the Florida racing calendar. "A lot of nice horses have won the Hutcheson. I'm very happy to have won that," he said.

Fulmine's backstory adds another layer to the result. He was claimed out of a $50,000 maiden claimer at Churchill Downs on Oct. 21 in only his second career start, by connections who evidently saw a horse with a considerably higher ceiling. Bred in Kentucky by Porta Pia Stables LLC, he is out of Kylbrylie, by Pulpit, giving him a pedigree that blends raw speed on the top line with a classic bottom.

The Hutcheson purse was listed at $125,000 by Gulfstream Park. The seven-horse field provided the backdrop for a performance that, from the walking ring to the wire, belonged entirely to one horse.