After Maryquitecontrary broke her maiden by three-quarters of a length in her career debut on June 11, trainer Joe Catanese III could have gone in many directions with Dr. Rod Lundock’s 3-year-old by First Dude. That they chose to pick yesterday’s $75,000 Azalea Stakes at Gulfstream Park is an attest to the confidence …
In his previous 10 races prior to last evening at Evangeline Downs, Quana Dude ran up a record of two seconds, four thirds and four fourths. In just about every race, the 5-year-old by First Dude was closing in on the leaders in the run to the wire, but always falling short. …
When Picking Up Pennies finished fifth in his career debut at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 2 of last year, the First Dude gelding picked up a few dollars – $400, to be exact. Since that time, the $30,000 OBS October yearling has never finished worse than fourth, running up a record of 4-3-1-2 …
After her last start – which was her first on Gulfstream Park’s Tapeta surface – proved to be the right medicine for Lady Emily, it stood to reason that trainer J. Kent Sweezey would be looking for a follow-up race over the all-weather track for the 4-year-old daughter of First Dude. …
In the 1963 song ‘Hey Hey Paula,’ Paula’s first words to Paul in the No. 1 hit that sold two million records are, “I’ve been waiting for you.” That might have been trainer John Vinson’s words to Hay Hay Paula while he was saddling the 4-year-old Bahamian Squall filly who was making her …
The problem of short fields continues to plague the sport at many venues, but it hasn’t necessarily impacted the quality of racing. The second race at Thistledown yesterday was a prime example as a pair of scratches resulted in a field of four going six furlongs over the main track. Island …
In the song “I’ve Been Everywhere” that’s currently being replayed on TV many times a day, Johnny Cash reels off the names of 92 cities, towns and countries he visited during his lifetime. If Super Dude could sing, his itinerary would include Laurel, Pimlico, Delaware, Belmont, Saratoga, Aqueduct, Gulfstream, Oaklawn, Churchill Downs, Parx …
There was no doubt that Spirit Wind was up against it when the Jacks or Better Farm filly was entered in yesterday’s $300,000, G. II Princess Rooney Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The daughter of Bahamian Squall had to face Ce Ce, a six-time graded stakes-winner, earner of more than $2 million, and winner …
Bahamian Squall picked up his 17th winner of 2022 when Bahamian Captain broke his maiden yesterday at Tampa Bay Downs in his fourth career start. The 3-year-old colt bred by Donald Dizney had Marcos Meneses aboard for the $21,900 maiden special at five furlongs on the grass, and he sent Bahamian …
After finishing second at Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 17 of 2021, Valiant Virtue was sent to the sidelines by owner/trainer Juan Arriagada. His record at the time was 2-4-4 in 19 starts. Arriagada brought the 5-year-old First Dude gelding back at Tampa 13 months later and introduced him to Madeline …