First Dude (horse)
Encyclopedia
First Dude is an American
Thoroughbred
stallion
racehorse
. He was sired by Stephen Got Even, who in turn was a son of leading sire A P Indy. He is out of the mare
Run Sarah Run, who is the daughter of Smart Strike
.
in a one mile, maiden special weight race that he finished in an impressive 1:37 flat with a 77 Beyer speed figure. After that First Dude was known for being the brides' maid and not the bride. He placed or showed in seven graded stakes events (6 Grade 1 and one grade 2 race) during the remainder of 2010.
In April, he showed by finishing third in a Grade 1 race, the one and one eighth mile Blue Grass Stakes
behind Kentucky Derby starters Stately Victor
and Paddy O'Prado
(also a stablemate trained by Romans) on the synthetic surface at Keeneland Race Course.
On the third Saturday of May, First Dude stepped up to run in an American Classic in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes
at 1 mile and 3/16 at Pimlico Race Course
. First Dude was listed as a 20-1 long shot on the morning line breaking from post 11 in a field of twelve. When the gates opened he rushed to the front and overtook Kentucky Derby
winner Super Saver
to grab the lead passing the stands for the first time. On the front end First Dude set some strenuous fractions; 1/4 mile in 22-4/5, 1/2 mile down the back stretch in 46-2/5 and 3/4 of a mile in 1:11-1/5. Around the final turn both Lookin At Lucky
and Caracortado
actually passed First Dude. Then he dug in and fought back to even terms with Lookin At Lucky at the 1/8 pole. In the last 100 yards Lookin At Lucky pulled a head and won the Preakness Stakes by one length.
In June he showed finishing third to Drosselmeyer
in the Belmont Stakes
at 1-1/2 miles in New York. On the first Saturday of August he finished third to old rival Lookin At Lucky
in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational Handicap
at one and one eighth mile at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. On the last Saturday of August he finished third in the Grade 1 "Mid-Summer Derby" to Afleet Express in the Travers Stakes
at one and a quarter miles at Saratoga Race Course
. On the last Saturday of September, First Dude finished third to a colt named Morning Line in the grade two Pennsylvania Derby
at one and an eighth miles at Philadelphia Park.
. First Dude made his first start for Baffert in the Santa Anita Handicap
, but finished a dismal sixth behind stablemate Game On Dude after battling for the lead.
Baffert then decided to school First Dude and told jockey Martin Garcia
to keep First Dude off the pace and let him make his own moves. He was entered in a $58,000 allowance race on April 9th at Santa Anita Park
, and won with ease by more than two lengths.
He then won his second straight race in the grade 3, $350,000 Alysheba Stakes
at one and one sixteenth miles on the dirt at Churchill Downs
by a nose on the May 6, 2011 on the Kentucky Oaks
undercard. The field for the Alysheba was exceptionally deep, including grade 1 winners Giant Oak and Awesome Gem, multiple grade II winner Mission Impazible (the 5-2 morning line favorite), and grade II winners Caracortado and Regal Ransom.
On July ninth, 2011, First Dude won his first grade 1 race in the Hollywood Gold Cup
at Hollywood Park. First Dude was again taken off the pace by jockey Martin Garcia (and with only a quarter mile left to run) charged from fifth place to a thrilling nose victory over stablemate Game On Dude and odds-on favorite Twirling Candy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. He was sired by Stephen Got Even, who in turn was a son of leading sire A P Indy. He is out of the mare
Mare (horse)
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine.In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse age three and younger. However, in Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four years old; in harness racing a mare is a...
Run Sarah Run, who is the daughter of Smart Strike
Smart Strike
Smart Strike is a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse. The son of the Champion sire, Mr. Prospector, and out of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame mare Classy 'n Smart, Smart Strike is a half-brother to 1991 Canadian Triple Crown champion Dance Smartly.Owned and bred by Sam-Son Farm, on the...
.
Three year-old season
First Dude did not race as a two year-old. He broke his maiden on January 30, 2010 at Gulfstream ParkGulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino is a racetrack and county-approved racino in Hallandale Beach, Florida, in the United States. During its annual meet, which spans December through April, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in America....
in a one mile, maiden special weight race that he finished in an impressive 1:37 flat with a 77 Beyer speed figure. After that First Dude was known for being the brides' maid and not the bride. He placed or showed in seven graded stakes events (6 Grade 1 and one grade 2 race) during the remainder of 2010.
In April, he showed by finishing third in a Grade 1 race, the one and one eighth mile Blue Grass Stakes
Blue Grass Stakes
The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, currently sponsored by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is an American Grade 1 horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in mid April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky....
behind Kentucky Derby starters Stately Victor
Stately Victor
Stately Victor is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He ran in the 2010 Kentucky Derby, coming in eighth. Bred by Frank Stronach's Adena Springs, he is a son of the great Ghostzapper, the 2004 American Horse of the Year and ranked number one in the world that year...
and Paddy O'Prado
Paddy O'Prado
Paddy O'Prado is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds, he finished third in the 2010 Kentucky Derby. His regular jockey is Kent Desormeaux.-Racing Career:...
(also a stablemate trained by Romans) on the synthetic surface at Keeneland Race Course.
On the third Saturday of May, First Dude stepped up to run in an American Classic in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
at 1 mile and 3/16 at Pimlico Race Course
Pimlico Race Course
Pimlico Race Course is a horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Olde Ben Pimlico's Tavern in London...
. First Dude was listed as a 20-1 long shot on the morning line breaking from post 11 in a field of twelve. When the gates opened he rushed to the front and overtook Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
winner Super Saver
Super saver
Super saver may refer to:*Super Saver , winner of the 2010 Kentucky Derby*Super Saver Foods, a grocery store chain owned by Albertsons*Super Saver Foods , a grocery chain owned by B&R Stores...
to grab the lead passing the stands for the first time. On the front end First Dude set some strenuous fractions; 1/4 mile in 22-4/5, 1/2 mile down the back stretch in 46-2/5 and 3/4 of a mile in 1:11-1/5. Around the final turn both Lookin At Lucky
Lookin at Lucky
Lookin At Lucky is an American Thoroughbred racehorse and winner of the 2010 Preakness Stakes. Sired by Smart Strike, a half brother to Canadian Triple Crown Winner Dance Smartly, his dam, Private Feeling, was sired by Belong To Me by the North American Leading Sire of 1993, Danzig.Lookin At...
and Caracortado
Caracortado
Caracortado is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. His sire, Cat Dreams, is a son of the influential stallion Storm Cat. His dam, Mons Venus, is by Maria's Mon, the American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse of 1995 who won the Sanford Stakes, the Champagne Stakes, and the Belmont Futurity Stakes...
actually passed First Dude. Then he dug in and fought back to even terms with Lookin At Lucky at the 1/8 pole. In the last 100 yards Lookin At Lucky pulled a head and won the Preakness Stakes by one length.
In June he showed finishing third to Drosselmeyer
Drosselmeyer
Drosselmeyer is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the third leg of the 2010 U.S. Triple Crown series and the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic.-Background:...
in the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
at 1-1/2 miles in New York. On the first Saturday of August he finished third to old rival Lookin At Lucky
Lookin at Lucky
Lookin At Lucky is an American Thoroughbred racehorse and winner of the 2010 Preakness Stakes. Sired by Smart Strike, a half brother to Canadian Triple Crown Winner Dance Smartly, his dam, Private Feeling, was sired by Belong To Me by the North American Leading Sire of 1993, Danzig.Lookin At...
in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational Handicap
Haskell Invitational Handicap
The Resorts Casino & Hotel Haskell Invitational is an American Grade I race for thoroughbred horses. In 1968, the Board of Directors of Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey honored its former President and Chairman Amory L. Haskell with the Amory L. Haskell Handicap, a race for older...
at one and one eighth mile at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. On the last Saturday of August he finished third in the Grade 1 "Mid-Summer Derby" to Afleet Express in the Travers Stakes
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers...
at one and a quarter miles at Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
. On the last Saturday of September, First Dude finished third to a colt named Morning Line in the grade two Pennsylvania Derby
Pennsylvania Derby
The Pennsylvania Derby is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Parx Racing and Casino each year. The track's premiere event is open to horses, age three, willing to race on the dirt and as of 2007, offers a purse of $1 million...
at one and an eighth miles at Philadelphia Park.
Four year-old season
After a disappointing fourth place finish in his seasonal debut, owner Don Dizney decided to gave First Dude "a change of scenery" and moved him to Southern California-based trainer Bob BaffertBob Baffert
Robert A. "Bob" Baffert is an American horse owner and trainer, whose horses have won three Kentucky Derbies, five Preakness Stakes, one Belmont Stakes and two Kentucky Oaks. He graduated from the University of Arizona's with a Bachelor of Science degree. -Early career:Bob Baffert began his...
. First Dude made his first start for Baffert in the Santa Anita Handicap
Santa Anita Handicap
The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season...
, but finished a dismal sixth behind stablemate Game On Dude after battling for the lead.
Baffert then decided to school First Dude and told jockey Martin Garcia
Martin Garcia (jockey)
Martin Garcia is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing who rides from a base in Southern California.He emigrated to the United States in 2003 and went to work at a delicatessen in Pleasanton, California...
to keep First Dude off the pace and let him make his own moves. He was entered in a $58,000 allowance race on April 9th at Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
, and won with ease by more than two lengths.
He then won his second straight race in the grade 3, $350,000 Alysheba Stakes
Alysheba Stakes
The Alysheba Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. The Alysheba became the most recent addition to the Derby Week stakes lineup as it joined the schedule in 2004 and is currently run on the undercard of the Kentucky Oaks,...
at one and one sixteenth miles on the dirt at Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...
by a nose on the May 6, 2011 on the Kentucky Oaks
Kentucky Oaks
The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers 1⅛ miles at Churchill Downs; the horses carry 121 pounds . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year...
undercard. The field for the Alysheba was exceptionally deep, including grade 1 winners Giant Oak and Awesome Gem, multiple grade II winner Mission Impazible (the 5-2 morning line favorite), and grade II winners Caracortado and Regal Ransom.
On July ninth, 2011, First Dude won his first grade 1 race in the Hollywood Gold Cup
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup is an American Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions...
at Hollywood Park. First Dude was again taken off the pace by jockey Martin Garcia (and with only a quarter mile left to run) charged from fifth place to a thrilling nose victory over stablemate Game On Dude and odds-on favorite Twirling Candy.