Everything went right for Berks and owner/breeder Jagger Inc. at Delaware Park when their race scheduled for the turf was switched to a mile and 70 yards on the main track. No less than seven scratches resulted in a field of three going to the post, and Berks, already a three-time winner in 2025, was …
On March 14, owner/trainer Juan Arriagada scored in a $10,000 claiming race at Tampa Bay Downs with his 5-year-old mare, Sweet Nola. She was entered for the $10,000 tag that day. Since then, the daughter of First Dude has gone on to run up a five-race winning streak in optional claimers at Tampa and Presque …
If Conrado was campaigning at North America’s premier racetracks and rolled up the record he has, the 5-year-old gelding would already be a member of First Dude’s $200,000 club. However, after his maiden-breaking victory at Tampa Bay Downs, his next seven have come at Presque Isle Downs, Turf Paradise, Grande Prairie and Lethbridge, where the …
With Mychal Sanchez in the irons, Cindy’s Song won for the first time away from Florida after she had five successful efforts at Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs. The 6-year-old daughter of First Dude scored career victory No. 6 going a flat mile at Parx Racing. Sanchez took the $95,000 OBS June purchase out …
Nothing changed for Sweet Nola after she completed a three-race winning streak at Tampa Bay Downs and owner/trainer Juan Arriagada shipped her to Presque Isle. The 5-year-old mare by First Dude bred by Frank Mermenstein and Tom McCrocklin destroyed the field in her first try in Pennsylvania – winning by 8 1/2 lengths in a …
Exonerated Prez is in the process of acquiring the nickname of ‘Rejuvenated Prez.’ The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred First Dude gelding has come off a drought of nearly seven months and won two in a row at Thistledown. On March 27, the gelding bred by Don Dizney won by 2 1/2 lengths and …
It took Smith Ranch Stables and trainer Luis Ramirez just three races to get out with the 5-year-old Bahamian Squall mare Foggy Note. Claimed for $20,000 on Jan. 2nd, after enduring 10th-place and third-place finishes, the new owners picked up $21,200 for her victory in a five-furlong test over the Tapeta surface at …
Happyisashappydoes has won five times in his 19-race career and four of the victories have come at Presque Isle Downs. The 5-year-old First Dude gelding broke his maiden at the Pennsylvania track in 2023, added two in a row there last June, and made it four with a wire-to-wire score this week in a …
Berks is at it again. In 2023, the now 6-year-old First Dude gelding put together a four-race winning streak at Laurel Race Course and Delaware Park. On Sunday, his victory at Laurel stretched his current streak to three in a row, and moved him into 11th place on First Dude’s $200,000 list. …
Nobody can ever accuse Douglas Jones of not being persistent. Jones is the breeder, owner and trainer of Rusty Pistol, a 5-year-old son of Bahamian Squall, and Jones has been trying to break his maiden since 2022. In his first 11 starts, 10 of them at Tampa Bay Downs, the best …