Last December 3rd, longtime owner/breeder Bruno Schickedanz lost the about-to-turn 4-year-old This Dude a Breeze in a claiming race for $40,000. In his new barn, the First Dude gelding rolled up a record of 3-1-1 in eight starts, including a 6 1/2-length beauty at Woodbine on Friday under Rafael Hernandez.

    With the check from that race, This Dude a Breeze earned $52,210 for the owners who paid $40,000 for the privilege of campaigning him, but that ended Friday. They lost him for a mere $7,000 – to Bruno Schickedanz.

    Hernandez settled the gelding at the rear of the pack going 7 furlongs over the all-weather track after the race came off the grass. Then, This Dude a Breeze breezed by the field with a strong four-wide move on the turn and coasted home by daylight in 1:24.47. He paid $3.70, and received an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 84, best of a career in which he’s 3-2-2 in 12 starts with earnings of $62,742.