Sometimes, it takes many tries before a racehorse reaches its peak performance as in the case of the First Dude gelding Fivefive Six Champ. In his first 18 career starts at Gulfstream Park, the newly-turned 5-year-old’s record was a mediocre 2-1-4, with earnings of $52,750, an average of $2,930 per race. His best Equibase ‘E’ speed figure was an 84.

The $165,000 OBS March 2-year-old put all that in the past in his Mahoning Valley debut this week, going wire-to-wire under Luis Rivera, and winning at a flat mile by an eye-catching 8 1/2 lengths. The gelding bred by Tom McCrocklin paid $4.80, earned a check for $10,500 and his speed figure soared to 101. He’s now 3-1-4 in 19 starts with a bank account of $63,520, and he’ll make his next start in a new barn.