The strange saga of Seattle Bay reached a new level yesterday when the 4-year-old First Dude filly broke her maiden in style at Nebraska’s Fonner Park.

Seattle Bay began her odyssey as a $22,000 OBS October yearling in 2018, but she didn’t make her first start until August of last year at Gulfstream Park. She finished last, well up the track, after engaging in a suicidal speed duel. She next showed up at Gulfstream West in October, and she finished second racing for $25,000, earning a check for $5,000.

The strange tale then headed north in January to the Keeneland mixed sale, where Seattle Bay was sold for $6,000. She then wound up in her new barn in Nebraska, and in her first start for Lucky Thunder Stables, romped in a maiden special weight test at four furlongs over a muddy track. going off at odds of 4/5.

With Jason Eads riding, Seattle Bay cruised right to the lead, came wide into the stretch after setting fractions of :22.80 and :35.40, and left the others behind, winning by three lengths in :48.80. In a land of minute purses, she earned $4,320 and appears to be considered a bargain for her new owners.