Picking Up Pennies picked up another $53,600 yesterday after winning the 10th race at Gulfstream Park – an $87,000 allowance optional claimer – and moved into First Dude’s $200,000-plus club with earnings of $210,420. The 5-year-old gelding bred by Jesus Rodriguez joined the growing group at No. 20 among 22 members.

    Edgard Zayas was aboard the $30,000 OBS October yearling, who scored his third victory in a row and raised his enviable record to 6-3-1 in 13 starts. After finishing fifth in his career debut, Picking Up Pennies has been in the top four in 12 straight. Zayas put him on the lead quickly and the gelding controlled the pace throughout with fractions of :23.49, :46.45 and 1:11.36 en route to a 1 1/2-length victory in 1:36.95 for the mile. He received an Equibase ‘E” speed figure of 102. 

    Earlier on the program, Starship Renegade rallied from sixth and last under Miguel Vasquez in a $54,000 allowance optional claimer to win by nearly four lengths as announcer Pete Aiello bellowed, “Starship Renegade blows by ’em all,” while the 5-year-old was widening his lead in the stretch. Bred by Bill and Lynne Rainbow at The Acorn, Starship Renegade was clocked in 1:10.73 for the six furlongs and collected a check for $32,400, lifting his total to $68,800 on a record of 2-1-0 in four starts. 

    The two victories gave First Dude four winners (and $113,312 in earnings) in the first week of the New Year. No. 3 was Little Grovy Thing, a 5-year-old mare who won an allowance race at Caymanas Park in Jamaica on Jan. 2.