With two months gone in 2023, First Dude is already ahead of his pace of last year when he wound up with 54 winners and $2.3 million in progeny earnings. 

    The victories of Petulant Delight at Parx Racing and Ruda at Tampa Bay Downs gave the son of Stephen Got Even 15 winners and earnings closing in on half a million dollars. 

    Petulant Delight, a recent addition to First Dude’s $200,000-plus club, added $10,800 to his total, which has reached $218,989. With Dexter Haddock aboard, the 8-year-old gelding bred by Ocala Stud Farm rushed up on the rail to take an early lead, held it throughout the 6 1/2 furlongs, and drew off to score by 3 1/2 lengths in the stretch, clocked in 1:18.75 and paying $14.80. He’s run up a record of 11-8-4 in 46 tries. 

    Ruda broke her maiden in just her second start under Jose Batista, after closing from ninth place to finish fifth by 4 1/2 lengths in her Feb. 8 debut at odds of 42-1. The 4-year-old filly bred by Harvey Morris earned a check for $8,820 and paid $10.60 via her half-length victory with a mile and a sixteenth on the grass in 1:44.44.