Burke Is Decided by Nose

Check Him Out, an 8-1 shot, won an eventful $477,100 Ed Burke Memorial Futurity Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

Owned by breeder Zory Kuzyk and Wayne Lukas and trained by Laura Lukas, Check Him Out, a son of thoroughbred sire Hennessy and the First Down Dash mare Check Her Twice, won by a nose over Coyanosa and Bee Dashing, who finished in a dead heat for second.

But Coyanosa, a 5-1 shot, was disqualified and placed eighth in the field of 10 for lugging out badly and impeding several of the other 2-year-olds.

Coupled in the wagering with Bobcat Bob, who finished seventh but was moved to sixth after the disqualification, Check Him Out earned his fourth victory in five starts and the $200,382 prize pushed his earnings to $212,032. Ridden by Jacky Martin, Check Him Out paid $19.60.

Among those bothered in the Burke was 3-2 favorite Your First Moon. A winner of five of her first six, she crossed under the wire eighth, but was moved to seventh.