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 they had in the filly. 

That confidence paid off by getting First Dude his fifth stakes-placed runner of 2022, a runner-up finish behind 9/5 second choice Last Leaf, a five-time winner who wasn’t going to be beaten in the seven-furlong test as she rolled to the finish line 3 1/2 lengths in front, clocked in 1:23.02.

    Maryquitecontrary held off three others battling for second in the run to the wire, and earned a check for $14,700, raising her total for two races to $42,000.