The recent addition of the Tapeta surface at Gulfstream Park has proven to be quite beneficial for Famous Gent, a 4-year-old son of First Dude. In his first 13 starts, the gelding bred by Trilogy Stable and Eddie Plesa Jr. won just once. Then came the Tapeta, and seven of his last eight starts have come over the all-weather track.

    Since Oct. 7, Famous Gent is 3-1-2-1 on the Tapeta, including one score at ‘about’ 5 1/2 furlongs on March 3 in which he lowered the track record to 1:04.64. In that race, he was claimed by Daniel Pita for just $12,500.

    Yesterday, with Pita on the books as his owner and trainer, Leonel Reyes guided Famous Gent to a come-from-behind score in a $48,000 allowance race that added $29,300 to his bank account, which now stands at $150,340.

    Famous Gent left from the rail and Reyes was content to sit fifth down the backstretch, about five lengths off the pace. When he let the gelding roll, Famous Gent went wide on the turn and cruised to the lead, drawing off by nearly two lengths at the wire. He was clocked in 1:04.48, paid $9.40 and improved his record to 4-2-7 in 21 tries. His Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 95 is tied for second best of his career.  

WHAT’S UP? – In other relevant weekend news, What’s Up Dude closed from last to finish third under Rocco Bowen in the $75,000, six-furlong Robert S. Molaro Stakes at Hawthorne. The 8-year-old gelding earned a check for $7,500, raising his total to $402,459 on a record of 10-9-6 in 54 starts. He’s eighth on the list of First Dude’s money-winners, and needs just $4,167 to move up to seventh.