It took owners Mike Anderson and Terry Clyde and trainer Jerri Robertson quite a while to get Dream Coach to the races. The 4-year-old First Dude gelding bred by Ponder Hill finally made his first career start yesterday at Century Mile in Alberta, Canada and the wait was worth it. Despite …
In an era where so many jockeys think that swinging their mounts four and five wide on the final turn is a formula for success, Addiel Ayala showed them yesterday that the shortest way to the finish line is on the rail. Ayala was aboard Bahamian Park in a 6 1/2-furlong …
Gran Edition made his first career start at Mountaineer Casino and Resort as a 3-year-old in August of 2020 and in his next 24 races – 21 at the same track – he won just twice, both at the age of three, impressively. The 5-year-old son of First Dude broke his maiden by …
Ragatagtag earned an 85 speed figure from Equibase after winning the seventh race at Assiniboia Downs last night, her best number over her last 15 starts and coming just five days after her last start in the Canada Stakes. The number was well-deserved: the 6-year-old daughter of First Dude won the …
After Maryquitecontrary broke her maiden by three-quarters of a length in her career debut on June 11, trainer Joe Catanese III could have gone in many directions with Dr. Rod Lundock’s 3-year-old by First Dude. That they chose to pick yesterday’s $75,000 Azalea Stakes at Gulfstream Park is an attest to the confidence …
In his previous 10 races prior to last evening at Evangeline Downs, Quana Dude ran up a record of two seconds, four thirds and four fourths. In just about every race, the 5-year-old by First Dude was closing in on the leaders in the run to the wire, but always falling short. …
When Picking Up Pennies finished fifth in his career debut at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 2 of last year, the First Dude gelding picked up a few dollars – $400, to be exact. Since that time, the $30,000 OBS October yearling has never finished worse than fourth, running up a record of 4-3-1-2 …
After her last start – which was her first on Gulfstream Park’s Tapeta surface – proved to be the right medicine for Lady Emily, it stood to reason that trainer J. Kent Sweezey would be looking for a follow-up race over the all-weather track for the 4-year-old daughter of First Dude. …
In the 1963 song ‘Hey Hey Paula,’ Paula’s first words to Paul in the No. 1 hit that sold two million records are, “I’ve been waiting for you.” That might have been trainer John Vinson’s words to Hay Hay Paula while he was saddling the 4-year-old Bahamian Squall filly who was making her …
The problem of short fields continues to plague the sport at many venues, but it hasn’t necessarily impacted the quality of racing. The second race at Thistledown yesterday was a prime example as a pair of scratches resulted in a field of four going six furlongs over the main track. Island …