LAUREL, MD. 08-09-08---They were 4-5-6 as the field raced down the backstretch but the Dickie Small trained entry of Pissarro, Hartigan and Inventive crossed the finish line 1-2-3 in the $50,000 Twixt Stakes for Maryland-bred fillies at Laurel Park.

That would not become as the official order of finish, however.

A claim of foul by Jozbin Santana, who was aboard Hartigan, was lodged against Josue Arce, who rode Pissarro, for interference through the stretch. After a brief review by the stewards, Hartigan was named the winner, Pissarro was disqualified to second and Inventive remained third.

The entry, which is owned and bred by Fitzhugh LLC (Robert Meyerhoff), paid, $3. The winning time for the one mile test on the main track was 1:38.09.

Trainer Small said of the 1-2-3 finish, “I think this might be a first.”

He added, “Pissarro is still immature and green. She has big time talent. She is sort of just learning the game. This really is just an inexperienced horse more than anything else.”

The win was the fourth stakes win for Hartigan. The daughter of Include has finished in the money in 10 of 11 starts and has now earned $194,300. She won the Gin Talking Stakes on the turf at Laurel Park last September and the Hilltop and Pearl Necklace at Pimlico Race Course this spring. Her only off the board finish was a seventh place finish behind Bsharpsonata in the 2007 Selima Stakes on the De Francis Dash undercard.

“It’s hard not to root for Hartigan,” Small continued. “She’s not particularly talented. The filly who won the race has more natural talent. Hartigan just finds a way to win. She is tough.”

The Small runners earned $45,500 of the $50,000 purse.