POSEIDON'S WARRIOR, one of the best 3-year-old sprinters in the nation in 2011, got his first stakes win of 2012 in stunning fashion, charging through the stretch to capture the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap by a neck at Saratoga on Sunday, Aug. 5. Totally overlooked at 36-1 odds, the Swilcan Stable LLC runner paid $74.50 to win to his lucky backers.

Unlucky in his first two starts of the year, POSEIDON'S WARRIOR showed tremendous back-class with triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures and fast times during his 3-year-old season, when he won three stakes and earned nearly $250,000. The son of Speightstown and final foal out of Dark Hollow's retired matron Poised to Pounce (by Smarten) was named Maryland-bred champion 3-year-old.

With the victory in the $400,000 6 fur. sprint, which the Butch Reid trainee completed over a muddy track in 1:09.40 while defeating the likes of Preakness Stakes-G1 winner Shackleford, POSEIDON'S WARRIOR now has career earnings of $634,337 with seven wins from 17 starts.