If the 33-1 First Dude gelding Sandy Dude’s fast-closing finish had been enough to catch even-money Kuhl Star for second place in the fifth race at Gulfstream Park yesterday, it might have resulted in a tote board power outage. As it was, Sandy Dude fell a length short of the favorite or the $2 First Dude exacta with $89.60 winner Fulton Steet would have paid a great deal more than the $240.80 that it did return. Ditto for the 50-cent trifecta of $704.40 or the 10-cent superfecta of $580.22. 

    Fulton Street’s monster payoff came as a result of a major switch in tactics by rider Kevin Krigger, aboard the 3-year-old gelding for the first time after Fulton Street had won just once in his first eight starts without ever going to the lead. Krigger changed all that, sending Fulton Street to the front out of the gate and guiding him wire-to-wire, aided by a :22.79 second quarter that opened daylight between him and the field. Fulton Street put away Kuhl Star in the stretch and won by five lengths in 1:38.50 for the mile as announcer Pete Aiello bellowed, “Fulton Street is in the midst of a 40-1 romp . . . . Kuhl Star wondered what happened.” 

    Fulton Street earned a check for $10,400 and a breeder’s award for owner/breeder Flying finish Farm. raising his career total to $66,540. Added to Orange Theory’s victory at Century Mile, First Dude now has 42 winners from 79 starters this year, a percentage of 53.1, highest among Florida’s top 25 sires in that category.