Lowers track record for six furlongs in the De Francis Memorial Dash

It was a heady time for owners Richard and Nancy Kaster and Nathan Fox on July 15 at Laurel Park when their six-year-old Richter Scale won the $300,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes (G1).

For the Wisconsin and Kentucky-based owners, the excitement began when three of the original seven entrants were scratched from the six-furlong sprint. Then, when front-running Richter Scale surged explosively into a commanding position, it made it a wild afternoon for everyone watching. He was the odds-on favorite, and he ran like it.

Richard Migliore rode Richter Scale into the lead from the start and for maybe a quarter-mile, no one gained ground because he would not permit it. Just about when other contenders figured to be ready for a move as the field came out of the final turn, Richter Scale displayed brilliant speed to put away his three rivals.

"He's the best pure sprinter I've ever been on in my life," declared Migliore. "My belief is that Richter Scale is the best older sprinter in the country."

There were other highlights. The 11th De Francis was run in track record time, 1:07.95, which lowered the mark of 1:08.14 set in 1992 by Fighting Notion, the celebrated Maryland speedster.

At the finish, Richter Scale had built a 1 3/4-length margin over Maryland-based Just Call Me Carl, who was a neck in front of Falkenberg. A neck farther back was Intidab. Intidab was fourth and last all the way, but finished only about two lengths behind the winner.

The winning purse of $180,000 sent Richter Scale's bankroll above the million-dollar mark to $1,139,958. He has won 12 of 24 career races and five of his last six starts.

The triumph could set up another Breeders' Cup try for Richter Scale. It has sent him roaring toward a fall campaign, and trainer Mary Jo Lohmeier sees another start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) as the "ultimate goal."

The son of *Habitony ran 13th in the 1997 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Hollywood Park for trainer Patrick Byrne, then he was 19th the following year at Churchill Downs while trained by Bill Mott.

Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S. (G1)
Laurel Park, July 15, $291,000, 6 furlongs, fast, 1:07.95
1-RICHTER SCALE, h. 6, *Habitony-Devine Pet, by Bel Bolide.
2-Just Call Me Carl, h. 5, Strawberry Road (Aus)-Great Escape, by Relaunch. 3-Falkenburg, g. 5, Storm Bird-Bridal Wings, by Private Account.

"He was two horses away from making it into the Breeders' Cup last year," said Lohmeier. "He was sitting right there and nothing (scratched). Usually, a couple will come out late for some reason."

With the Laurel victory, his first ever in a Grade 1 race, added to others this year at Keeneland and Gulfstream Park, Richter Scale gets closer to the 2000 Breeders' Cup, back at Churchill Downs on November 4, with little help needed from the handicappers.

Lohmeier, who said she is seeing "one race at a time" on her schedule for Richter Scale, talked tentatively about the Forego Handicap (G2) at Saratoga on August 30 or the Phoenix Breeders' Cup Stakes (G3) at Keeneland on October 14. Lohmeier has had a lot to do with Richter Scale's most recent success on the racetrack, Kaster said. "Whatever it takes to get him happy, she does," Kaster said. "I think she even calls in people to sing to him."

The owners were prepared to retire him to stud last year, but Lohmeier talked them into another year of racing. The horse had suffered quarter cracks and other maladies down through the years.

Kaster said Lohmeier is careful about details. She has brought in a chiropractor and an acupuncturist to treat the horse. A mini-crisis developed on July 14 when Richter Scale tore off a glue-on shoe. A flight carrying some of Richter Scale's connections to Laurel had been canceled due to weather conditions, but Lohmeier worked out a way to get her farrier to the track. "No matter about everybody else, we needed the blacksmith," she said.

Another detail, another victory.

Twenty-three were nominated to the De Francis, but only three were entered early. Hustling in the racing secretary's office stretched it to seven. Then Holiday Music, Clever Gem, and Changing Otheguard scratched, narrowing the field to four.

Clydene Boots of Murrieta, California, bred the De Francis winner. She consigned Richter Scale through Berkey Bloodstock Services to the 1995 California Thoroughbred Breeders August yearling sale at Del Mar. Robert Sullivan bought him for $15,500. Richter Scale was broken at Another Episode Farm in Florida. The farm had planned to sell Richter Scale at the 1996 Barretts March sale of two-year-olds, but he was sold privately to Richard and Nancy Kaster. Richard Kaster said at Laurel that he had paid $100,000 for his now-millionaire horse.