Published:
Sunday, March 15, 2020
As Rogue Too was coasting down the stretch five lengths in front last night in the 38th running of the Latonia Stakes, track announcer Jimmy McNerney hit the nail right on the head with his call: "What a horse for the course!"
It may be that no runner in recent memory fits the definition of that old adage better than the 4-year-old First Dude filly who made the $100,000 race her sixth consecutive victory, the last five coming at the track in Florence, Ky. Add that to a previous streak of three straight and the filly bred in Florida by Rowling Oaks Farm has now won eight straight at Turfway.
The first victory in her latest streak came at Indiana Grand on Oct. 22, after which owner Andrew Janszen shipped her to Turfway, where Rogue Too was introduced to Rogelio Miranda. The new rider changed her off-the-pace running style and she has won five in a row on the front end, coming by a combined total of 16 lengths. She has raised her career record to 10-4-2 in 28 starts, and the $43,425 winner's check from the Latonia lifted her earnings to $173,090, with $67,845 coming in her three 2020 starts. Not bad for a filly Janszen claimed for just $10,000 at Indiana Grand last July.
One of the strangest facets of the Rogue Too saga is that in the Latonia, she paid $8.40 as the lukewarm favorite, but, despite her record, she had not been favored in any of her previous five victories. In the first one at Turfway, in fact, First Dude's now initial stakes-winner of 2020 paid $93.40.