Switzerland Flashes Speed in De Francis Memorial Dash

After having his perfect season snapped last out when he finished fifth in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap  (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, Switzerland left no room for error when he outpaced his competition to win the $250,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) Sept. 22 at Laurel Park. 

Six furlongs were over and done in just over a minute Saturday, with Woodford Racing's Switzerland dominating in a gate-to-wire dash to the finish. 

Breaking his maiden at long in his eighth try Feb. 16 in a maiden special weight at Aqueduct Racetrack, Switzerland's 4-year-old campaign seemed to be charmed. The son of Speightstown  followed his maiden win with two allowance optional claiming scores before taking the Maryland Sprint Stakes (G3) by 3 1/2 lengths. 

Falling short in the July 28 Vanderbilt Handicap, the colt went back to the drawing board, breezing seven times for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen at Saratoga before shipping to Laurel. 

Taking the lead from his position on the rail, the colt came under brief pressure on his outside at the three-eighths pole from Colonel Sharp before digging in and pulling away.  

Under a steady drive from jockey Feargal Lynch, Switzerland increased his margin from one length to three and half as the nine-horse field reached the stretch in :57.20. Moving up from fifth to second to issue a late challenge, Laki made a brief bid but cut into the leader's margin by only a quarter length. 

Switzerland finished off the race in 1:09.11. Laki took second 2 3/4 lengths behind followed by Sweetontheladies in third. Colonel Sharp, Lewisfield, The Man, Arthur's Hope, and Always Sunshine completed the order of finish. 

"Steve said to me he doesn't always break that sharp. He didn't break that sharp the last time and he rushed up in there, and he didn't want me to do that again," said Lynch. "This is a really nice horse. He's a serious horse. He's so natural and so speedy.

"It was never in doubt but it took him a while to switch leads and it wasn't until the sixteenth pole that he switched on me and he just found a little bit more," Lynch added. "He was just doing enough in front."

Sent off as the 8-5 favorite, Switzerland returned $5.60, $3.80, and $3.00 on a $2 wager. 

Bred in Kentucky by Branch Family Trust, Switzerland is the third foal out of the Indian Charlie mare Czechers. The colt was pinhooked first as a weanling and again as a yearling. He was purchased for at third time by I.B.S. for $500,000 from the McKathan Bros. consignment to the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. 

Switzerland holds a 5-2-3 record from 13 starts with total earnings of $437,800--$389,000 of which was earned in 2018 alone. 

The Memorial Dash topped a day of seven stakes worth $900,000 as part of Laurel's Fall Festival of Racing card which kicked off in race 4 with Order and Law's win in the six-furlong Laurel Futurity on the turf. 

Valedictorian took the All Along Stakes in Race 6 and was followed by Class and Cash's win in the Laurel Dash Stakes in Race 7. The 6-year-old gelding Hello Don Julio got up by a half length in Race 8 to claim his first win in the season in the Laurel Turf Cup Stakes and Backwards Stable's hombred Fire Key edged her competition by a nose to win the Sensible Lady Turf Dash Stakes in Race 9. 

The day concluded with Monkeys Uncle's win in the Selima Stakes. The win was the second for the 2-year-old Uncle Mo  filly who remains unbeaten since breaking her maiden Aug. 30 at Delaware Park. 

Video: Laurel Futurity (BT)

Video: All Along S. (BT)

Video: Laurel Dash S. (BT)

Video: Laurel Turf Cup S. (BT)

Video: Sensible Lady Turf Dash S. (BT)

Video: Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S. (G3)

Video: Selima S. (BT)