By Alan Carasso
Spendthrift Farm's Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro) sat a midfield trip and worked home best of all to record a second victory at the graded level in Saturday's GIII Kitten's Joy S. at Gulfstream Park.
Settled in about fifth position early as fellow 10-1 chances Dude N Colorado (GB) (Uncle Mo) and Boppy O (Bolt d'Oro) eyeballed each other through reasonable fractions, Major Dude dropped down onto the fence with about a half-mile to race and traveled well within the grasp of the in-form Irad Ortiz, Jr. as they raced around the turn. Following the three-wide move of his chief market rival Candidate (Exaggerator) nearing the stretch, the $550,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga acquisition was produced four deep off the home corner with a sound turn of foot, wanted to hang to his right while engaging the front-runners approaching the entrance to the final furlong and kicked on late to score comfortably. Candidate, who made all the running to defeat the comebacking Major Dude in the one-mile Dania Beach S. Jan. 7, was beaten for speed this time around, but turned in a sound late rally and just held off Dude N Colorado for third.
“He's a super nice colt, very consistent,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who sent out 2022 Kitten's Joy winner Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro). “I'll talk to the guys at Spendthrift. We're kicking around the idea of putting him on the dirt at some point. We'll see when that opportunity comes up.”
A debut winner over the Monmouth main track June 18, Major Dude was a well-beaten third in the one-mile Sapling S. at the Jersey Shore oval Aug. 27 before causing a 10-1 upset when trying turf for the first time in the GII Pilgrim S. at Aqueduct Oct. 2. The bay was unable to overcome a horror draw in 13 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and checked in ninth before turning in a useful seasonal unveiling last time out.
Pedigree Notes:
The Cleary family's Clearsky Farms purchased this colt's stakes-placed dam for $320,000 in foal to The Factor at Keeneland November in 2016. Mary Rita is a full-sister to the SP Unbound, whose four winners from five to race include 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Lion (Justify), while Major Dude's third dam is the redoubtable Personal Ensign, the dam of MGISW My Flag (Easy Goer) and granddam of champion Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat). This is, of course, the Phipps family of Grade I winners Miner's Mark, Traditionally and Mr Speaker and the additional graded winners Fire Away (War Front)–who was recently represented by his first winner in South Africa–and Vigilantes Way (Medaglia d'Oro).
Major Dude is bred on a variant of the wildly successful cross of Medaglia d'Oro over Distorted Humor that is responsible for the likes of dual Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus), Elate and New Money Honey. The cross over mares by Distorted Humor's sire Forty Niner has resulted in the additional Grade I winners and champions Songbird and Rachel Alexandra.
Mary Rita is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Audible, missed to Authentic and was among the first book of mares bred to Charlatan.
Saturday, Gulfstream
KITTEN'S JOY S.-GIII, $175,000, Gulfstream, 2-4, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:40.22, gd.
1–MAJOR DUDE, 124, c, 3, by Bolt d'Oro
1st Dam: Mary Rita (SP), by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Possibility, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Personal Ensign, by Private Account
($550,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Clearsky
Farms (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $105,245.
Lifetime Record: 7-3-1-1, $300,095. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
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2–Candidate, 122, c, 3, Exaggerator–Navy Ribbon,
by Pure Prize. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($20,000 Ylg '21
FTKOCT; $150,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-Mark B. Grier; B-Rose
Hill Farm & Thoroughbred Acadiana (KY); T-Arnaud Delacour.
$33,950.
3–Dude N Colorado (GB), 118, c, 3, Uncle Mo–Limonar (Ire),
by Street Cry (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($90,000 2yo '22 KEENOV). O-Three Diamonds Farm; B-St. Elias
Stables LLC (GB); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $16,975.
Margins: 1HF, NK, 2 1/4. Odds: 1.40, 2.20, 10.10.
Also Ran: Boppy O, Souzak (Fr), Congruent, Lights of Broadway, Moon Cat.
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