Fly Down wins Dwyer, points to the Belmont Stakes

If the connections of Drosselmeyer were hoping that the Dwyer would be an audition for the Belmont Stakes they probably weren't too pleased with what they saw yesterday.  Fly Down ran away from the field in the stretch after sitting in last during the early stages of the race about a length or two behind Drosselmeyer.  As the field rolled off the turn, Fly Down made a bold move to the outside and easily went by the entire field, including the odds-on favorite who first found himself behind several horses and then didn't have hardly any response when switched out into the clear.  Drosselmeyer finished up well to hold second place but he didn't threaten the winner at any point in the stretch.

Fly Down's Beyer for the Dwyer came up at 100 which puts him in line with many of the top three year olds this spring and makes him a contender for the Belmont in four weeks.  According to his connections following the race, Drosselmeyer is still a candidate to run back in the Belmont, but based on yesterday's race he seems like just cut below in terms of class.  Jockey Kent Desormeaux told the Daily Racing Form that the colt slipped coming out of the gate, and while you never want to see a colt start poorly, I don't know that you can blame a slip at the start to Drosselmeyer coming up empty in the lane.  

In the only other graded stakes action of the day, Game on Dude won the Grade 3 Lone Star Derby while Rail Trip won the Grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Grade 2 Dwyer Stakes - chart
Grade 3 Lone Star Derby - chart
Grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap - chart