4th-CDX, $46,768, Msw, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :52, gd.
+FLATTER THAN ME (c, 2, Flatter–Hannah’s Doll, by Boston Harbor), who as an $80,000 KEESEP yearling was the highest-priced of the 16 Flatter yearlings to sell last year, was given a 7-2 chance to succeed at first asking for a trainer who hits with 17 percent of his debut runners. Under Brian Hernandez, Jr., the colt was full of run early and raced up to set a quarter-mile split of :22 1/5. The 18-1 longshot Soundman (Songandaprayer) moved to challenge at the quarter pole and maybe took a narrow lead in upper stretch, but Flatter Than Me battled back gamely along the rail and inched away to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Soundman held second over the rallying Elsaroarin (Roaring Fever). The 4-5 firster Sparkle of Light (Alke) was fourth. Flatter
Than Me is a half-brother to the three-year-old “TDN Rising Star” Auspicious (Indian Charlie), who won her first two by a combined 13 1/4 lengths before running third at 4-5 odds in the Prima Donna S. at Oaklawn Mar. 22. Auspicious goes next in Saturday’ s GIII Eight Belles S. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, O-Merrill R Scherer, Dan Lynch & Ken Sentel. B-Hargus & Sandra Sexton (KY). T-Merrill R Scherer.