First Dude rocketed into second place on Florida’s general sire list via a blockbuster Saturday that included an eye-catching 6-furlong victory by Ray Arewethereyet at Monmouth Park, and a tough loss by What’s Up Dude in the $100,000 Hanshin Cup Stakes at Arlington Park.

Ray Arewethereyet was making just her fourth career start in a $50,000 allowance race with Jomar Torres in the saddle. The 3-year-old filly broke a step slowly and was last leaving the gate, but Torres shot her up on the inside and she quickly became engaged in a head-to-head battle with the appropriately-named Guns Blazing. After the duo blazed through a quarter in :21.82 and a half in :43.97, at the top of the stretch RayArewethereyet left three challengers behind, drew off and hit the wire nearly four lengths in front. She was clocked in 1:09 flat, just 1 1/2 seconds off the track record, and the $30,000 winner’s check raised her earnings to $72,800 on a record of 2-1-1 in four tries.

At odds of 19-1, What’s Up Dude sat comfortably on the inside with Julio Felix down the backstretch in the Hanshin, and went after the leaders on the turn. In a furious finish at the end of the mile, she missed the $60,000 winner’s check by a head and half a length and had to settle for $10,000 for third. In 2019, she finished second in the Hanshin when it was a Gr. III. Her record is now 8-8-3 in 42 starts, and with earnings of $304,373, she became the 11th First Dude runner to pass the $300,000 mark.

With the profitable afternoon, First Dude’s 2021 progeny earnings jumped to $1,149,457, nearly $42,000 ahead of third-place Brethren.