Ready to Runaway became First Dude’s third stakes-placed runner of 2021 yesterday evening with a second-place finish, 4 1/2 lengths behind stablemate Clickbait in the $55,000 Lady Slipper Stakes at Canterbury Park. They were not coupled in the betting, and, oddly enough, both went off at even money.

The 5-year-old Minnesota-bred daughter of First Dude, who was named last year’s Champion runner for her exceptional exploits at Canterbury – (four victories, three in stakes, and one second in five starts), included an easy score in the Lady Slipper. Ready to Runaway raised her record to 9-5-3 in 19 starts, and the check for $12,175 ballooned her career total to $375,335. She passed Cairenn ($372,910) as First Dude’s seventh-highest money-winner.

Ready to Runaway, bred by Wildcat Ranch, was a $4,000 purchase at the Minnesota yearling sale in 2017. She was claimed out of her fourth start for $25,000 by current owner John Mentz, who has campaigned her for the last 15. Mentz is also a co-owner of Clickbait, who proved to be too much for her stablemate in the Lady Slipper, clocked in 1:09.77, third fastest time in the history of the race. When Ready to Runaway won in 2020, by 3 3/4 lengths, she was caught in 1:09.71.