ADIRONDACK SUMMER SURGES FROM LAST TO FIRST IN DANIA BEACH

By Mike Welsch, for drf.com

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.- Adirondack Summer nipped Brilliant Speed by a nose to capture Sunday’s $100,000 Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Rallying from last at the head of the stretch under jockey Alan Garcia, Adirondack Summer ($11) finished full of run on the extreme outside to win his stakes debut for owner Peter Deutsch and trainer Christophe Clement. Master Dunker finished another 1 1/4 lengths farther back in third.

Adirondack Summer, a 3-year-old New York-bred son of Thunder Gulch, completed one mile over a firm turf course in 1:34.44 .

The stewards launched a lengthy inquiry into the stretch run, ultimately disqualifying fourth-place finisher Swift Warrior from fourth to eighth place for interfering with the tiring The Best Glacier in late stretch.

Lil Bit O’Fun, the 8-5 favorite, raced rankly while prompting a fast early pace and had nothing left at the top of the stretch, finishing ninth and last.

In Adirondack Summer’s previous race, he finished second, beaten less than two lengths, under entry-level allowance conditions at Aqueduct.

“He was unlucky in his last start,” said Clement. “He got boxed and was the best horse. He’s a nice horse with a good turn of foot,” said Clement. “He was a bit further back than I expected but he finished well and we got lucky. I’m delighted because I bought this horse for a new owner.”

Adirondack Summer was purchased for $38,000 as a yearling at the 2009 Fasig-Tipton August sale at Saratoga from the Denali Stud consignment.