Bio for First Dude
First Dude entered the Preakness off a well-beaten third in the Grade 1 Blue Grass and with only a maiden victory to his credit, but the word around the racetrack was that this Donald Dizney homebred was training excellently. A 23-1 longshot in the Preakness, First Dude led through a half in 46.47 while receiving pace pressure from Super Saver, put away the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner on the far turn, and battled valiantly down the stretch to finish three-quarters of a length behind Lookin At Lucky in second. If his tremendous effort in the Preakness didn’t take too much out of him, the cleverly-named son of Stephen Got Even and Run Sarah Run will have a significant chance in the Belmont, particularly if he is allowed to dictate a modest pace.
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Prep Recap
| Date |
Trk |
Race |
Chart |
Distance |
Finish |
BSF |
Video |
| 2/21 |
GP |
Allowance |
Chart |
1 1/8 miles |
2nd |
90 |
 |
| 3/20 |
GP |
Florida Derby |
Chart |
1 1/8 miles |
5th |
89 |
|
| 4/10 |
KEE |
Blue Grass Stakes |
Chart |
1 1/8 miles |
3rd |
85 |
|
| 5/15 |
PIM |
The Preakness |
Chart |
1 3/16 miles |
2nd |
101 |
|
Profile by Byron King
Strengths: Tactical speed and consistency. First Dude has hit the board in six of seven starts and has shown he can race effectively on the lead, as he did when second in the Preakness, or from a pressing or stalking position. That kind of sustained speed should serve him well in the Belmont, which tends to reward horses who are prominently placed but not overly keen. His style should also give him a greater possibility for a favorable trip in a large field. His heart also distinguishes him as a top-class horse. He gave Lookin At Lucky all he wanted in the Preakness, and Lookin At Lucky really didn't push past him until the final 70 yards.
Weaknesses: Coming off his best effort in the Preakness, a race in which he ran a 101 Beyer Speed Figure, 11 points higher than his prior top, he is at risk of a bounce. That risk is compounded by a relatively quick return on three weeks' rest and going Belmont's taxing 1 1/2-mile distance. He also has just one win and has finished behind Belmont foe Fly Down in a couple of head-to-head matchups.
Strategy: In what looked like a paceless Preakness, he went to the front and dictated terms with an opening half-mile in 46 and change. Expect him to be prominent in the Belmont, too, either setting or pressing slower splits going a marathon distance.
Value: Don't look for him to be 23-1, as he was in the Preakness, not after such a fast runner-up finish behind such an accomplished rival in Lookin At Lucky. That race established him as one of the better 3-year-olds in the land. Given his 1-for-7 record and his risk of bouncing in the Belmont, horseplayers are advised to shoot for odds of 5-1 or higher.
Pedigree Analysis By Dan Illman
Sire: Stephen Got Even, a son of Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic winner A.P. Indy, appreciated longer distances. He earned a 120 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the Grade 1 Donn Handicap at nine furlongs, received seven triple-digit Beyers from 11 lifetime starts, and won races at distances from 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/8 miles. He finished fourth, beaten four lengths, in the 1999 Preakness. At stud, Stephen Got Even's best performers have excelled with additional distance. Champion 2-year-old Stevie Wonderboy won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles, and I Want Revenge won the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at nine furlongs.
Dam: Run Sarah Run, a $19,000 yearling purchase by Smart Strike, finished third in the Sam Houston Oaks at one mile on dirt. She won at distances between five furlongs and 6 1/2 furlongs. Her half-brother Summer Survivor was stakes-placed at one mile. The second dam was a stakes winner.
Outlook: This distance may be a touch long for First Dude, but with the stamina on top combined with the class in the female family, another good performance isn't out of the question.