Hometown hero Funny Cide, who last year became the first New York-bred to win the Kentucky Derby, looked better than ever yesterday at Gulfstream Park, winning his 4-year-old debut by five lengths.

Funny Cide hadn’t won since the Preakness, and after finishing a gallant third in the Belmont Stakes, a dull third in the Haskell and next-to-last in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, doubts had surfaced. Sent off at 2-5 in the 10th race at Gulfstream, he dragged Jose Santos to the lead down the backside. He stopped the timer in a sharp 1:22.4.