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First Dude Takes Two More Steps Toward $25 Million

    Keyed by Napa Dude’s victory at Thistledown on Tuesday and First Homestead’s score at Mountaineer, First Dude’s numbers continue to soar. The stallion by Stephen Got Even is only $60,000 away from reaching $25 million in career progeny earnings; he’s about to pass $1.8 million for this year with 33 winners; and his average earnings per starter, which were $63,000 in February, have now ballooned to $65,116. 

NAPA DUDE – The 3-year-old gelding bred by Don Dizney broke his maiden under Fernando Salazar Becerra in a six-furlong affair that went with just five starters. From the No. 5 post, Napa Dude was off fourth, moved up to third on the backstretch, then slipped through on the inside into second, swung out to the two path and ran down the leader in the stretch to win by 2 1/4 lengths. He paid $5.40 and earned a check for $9,300. 

FIRST HOMESTEAD – The 6-year-old gelding bred by Peggy Dellheim and Pete Mattson has quietly run up a record of 8-4-3 in 27 starts, and the check for $4,582 raised his career total to $107,211. Juan Velez was aboard for his latest score, which he won by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:40.43 for the mile. It was another six lengths back to third. He paid $2.60.