Fast Dude went wire-to-wire racing a flat mile at Delta Downs yesterday, giving First Dude seven winners of eight races in the new year, 693 winning races lifetime, and progeny earnings of $192,219 for the first 33 days. After a few weeks in sixth place on the Florida general sire list, he has now moved up to third, just $7,000 from the runner-up spot.

Diego Saenz put Fast Dude on the lead at the outset, and the 4-year-old gelding bred by John Ropes never looked back. He held off 7/10 favorite Paint I Aint by three-quarters of a length, and it was eight lengths back to the third-place finisher. He paid $19.80 and collected a check of $7,200 for owner/trainer Rylee Grudzien.