Mad Flatter took a commanding lead after three-quarters of a mile and coasted to a 6 1/4-length victory over defending champion Mambo Meister on Oct. 16 in the $100,000 Spend a Buck Handicap (gr. III) (VIDEO) at Calder Casino & Race Course.
 
The 1 1/16 mile dirt test was a “Win and You’re In” race for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) at Churchill Downs Nov. 5.  If other owners agree, Mad Flatter likely will be in that Breeders’ Cup race, said Bonnie Heath III, whose Bonnie Heath Farm in Reddick, Fla., bred and is part of the ownership group for the horse.  Others in the ownership group of the 5-year-old are Holiday Stable, Bright Brook Farm, and Hinkle Farms.
 
The Spend a Buck was the Florida debut for Mad Flatter. He was coming off a third-place finish on Sept. 4 in the $150,000 Washington Park Handicap (gr. III) at Arlington Park. He was sent off at 7-2 as second choice behind 4-5 Mambo Meister in the field of nine horses.
 
Mad Flatter shot toward the lead from the outside post and passed Riversrunrylee to take the lead by a head after a half mile in :47.53 seconds. Mad Flatter, ridden by Jon Court, expanded his lead to three lengths after six furlongs in 1:12.41.  Mambo Meister rallied from sixth after a half mile but was unable to mount a challenge to Mad Flatter. El Kingdom finished third, a length behind Mambo Meister.
 
Mad Flatter ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.37 on a track listed as fast.
 
“The race developed exactly as I thought with the one (Riversrunrylee) setting the early pace,” said Jeffrey Thornbury, Mad Flatter’s trainer. “It set up perfect for our horse.”  Mad Flatter paid $9.60, $4.00, and $4.20. The $2 exacta paid $36.00, and the $2 trifecta paid $106.60.
 
The win was Mad Flatter’s first in a stakes and sixth in 17 career starts. He is a son of Flatter   out of the Honor Grades mare Miss Pangea.