Housebuster Hutcheson Winner; Rhythm Is 7th

Housebuster raced to a three-length victory in the $94,645 Hutcheson Stakes for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Saturday as Rhythm, the 1989 2-year-old champion, finished seventh in a field of 11.

Yonder, a 15-1 shot, closed from last for second in the seven-furlong race, a first step for Triple Crown hopefuls. Stalker was third and Smelly fourth.

Housebuster, ridden by Randy Romero, was timed in 1:24 2/5 and paid $5.80, $3.80 and $4.60. Yonder paid $7.20 and $6.20, and Stalker $8.40.

Housebuster surged ahead at the five-sixteenths pole and led Stalker by a length at the quarter pole. As they turned for home, Housebuster started to move away from the field and Yonder began his late charge.

Housebuster led by five lengths inside the eighth pole and wasn’t threatened as Yonder stormed between horses to take second by a length. Stalker finished three-quarters of a length in front of Smelly.

The winner, owned by Robert Levy, had won four in a row since losing his debut on Oct. 17. The Kentucky-bred son of Mt. Livermore earned $57,787 Saturday for a lifetime total of $129,267.

Shug McGaughey, trainer of Rhythm, which went off at 4-5, would say only, “The horse ran good.”