First Dude (foaled March 27, 2007 in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

) is an American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

. He was sired by Stephen Got Even, who in turn was a son of leading sire

A.P. Indy A.P. Indy (March 31, 1989 – February 21, 2020) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic on his way to American Horse of the Year honors in 1992. His time in the Belmont Stakes tied Easy Goer for ...

. He is out of the

mare A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...

Run Sarah Run, who is the daughter of

Smart Strike Smart Strike (foaled May 21, 1992 in Ontario – died March 25, 2015) was a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse. The son of the Champion sire, Mr. Prospector, and out of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame mare Classy 'n Smart, Smart Strike is a ...

. The name refers to the nickname of former First Gentleman of Alaska

Todd Palin Todd Mitchell Palin (born September 6, 1964) is an American oil field production operator and commercial fisherman who was the first gentleman of Alaska from 2006 to 2009. He is the former husband of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin Sa ...

Three-year-old season

First Dude did not race as a two-year-old. He broke his maiden on January 30, 2010, at

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group, is a Thoroughbred race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs year-round, defined by three distinct race meets ...

in a one-mile maiden special weight race that he finished in 1:37 flat with a 77 Beyer speed figure. After that, First Dude placed or showed in seven graded stakes events (6

Grade 1 First grade (also called Grade One, called ''Year 2'' in England or Primary 2 in Scotland) is the first grade in elementary school and the first school year after kindergarten. Children are usually 6–7 years old in this grade. Examples by re ...

and one grade 2 race) during the remainder of 2010. In April, he finished third in the Grade 1 one and one eighth mile

Blue Grass Stakes The Blue Grass Stakes, currently the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes due to sponsorship by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is a horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky. The race is run ...

behind Kentucky Derby starters Stately Victor and

Paddy O'Prado Paddy O'Prado (February 15, 2007 – October 22, 2018) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds, he finished third in the 2010 Kentucky Derby. His regular jockey was Kent Desormeaux. Racing career Paddy O'Prado ...

(also a stablemate trained by Romans) on the synthetic surface at

Keeneland Race Course Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for its ...

. On the third Saturday of May, First Dude ran in the Grade 1

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () on ...

at 1 mile and 3/16 at

Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Ol ...

. He was listed as a 20-1 long shot on the morning line, breaking from post 11 in a field of twelve. When the gates opened, he rushed to the front and overtook

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...

winner Super Saver to grab the lead passing the stands for the first time. On the front end, First Dude set some strenuous fractions: 1/4 mile in 22-4/5, 1/2 mile down the back stretch in 46-2/5 and 3/4 of a mile in 1:11-1/5. Around the final turn, both

Lookin At Lucky Lookin At Lucky (foaled May 27, 2007 in Kentucky) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2010 Preakness Stakes. He was the 2009 Champion Two-Year-Old and 2010 Champion Three-Year-Old, becoming the first horse in 32 years to ...

and

Caracortado Caracortado (foaled May 7, 2007, in California) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. His sire, Cat Dreams, is a son of the influential stallion Storm Cat. His dam, Mons Venus, is by Maria's Mon, the American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse o ...

passed First Dude. Then he dug in and fought back to even terms with Lookin At Lucky at the 1/8 pole. In the last 100 yards, Lookin At Lucky pulled in front and won the Preakness Stakes by one length. In June, First Dude finished third to

Drosselmeyer Drosselmeyer (foaled April 1, 2007, in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2010 Belmont Stakes and the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic. Background Drosselmeyer was sired by multiple stakes winner Distorted Hum ...

in the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

at 1-1/2 miles in New York. On the first Saturday of August, he finished third to old rival

in the Grade 1

Haskell Invitational Handicap The Haskell Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of miles on the dirt held annually in July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. The event is a signature event at Monmouth P ...

at one and one eighth miles at

Monmouth Park Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with ...

in New Jersey. On the last Saturday of August, he finished third in the Grade 1 "Mid-Summer Derby" to Afleet Express in the

Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Mid-Summer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds according to internation ...

at one and a quarter miles at

Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actua ...

. On the last Saturday of September, First Dude finished third to Morning Line in the grade two

Pennsylvania Derby The Pennsylvania Derby is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Parx Racing and Casino (formerly known as Keystone Race Track, then from 1986 through 2010 as Philadelphia Park) each year. The track's premiere event is open to horses, age three, ...

at one and an eighth miles at

Philadelphia Park Parx Casino and Racing (formerly Philadelphia Park Racetrack and Casino) is a thoroughbred horse racing venue and the largest casino gaming complex in Pennsylvania. Parx is located in Bensalem Township in Bucks County, northeast of the city of P ...

Four-year-old season

After a fourth-place finish in his seasonal debut, owner Don Dizney decided to give First Dude "a change of scenery" and moved him to Southern California-based trainer

Bob Baffert Robert A. Baffert (born January 13, 1953) is an American racehorse trainer who trained the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Baffert's horses have won a record six Kentucky Derbies, seven Preakne ...

. First Dude made his first start for Baffert in the

Santa Anita Handicap The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up and was once considered the most important race for old ...

, but finished sixth behind stablemate Game On Dude after battling for the lead. Baffert then decided to school First Dude and told jockey Martin Garcia to keep First Dude off the pace and let him make his own moves. He was entered in a $58,000 allowance race on April 9 at

Santa Anita Park Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races ...

, and won by more than two lengths. He then won his second straight race in the Grade 3, $350,000

Alysheba Stakes The Alysheba Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three and older over a distance of miles on the dirt held annually in early May on the Kentucky Oaks day meeting at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky duri ...

at one and one sixteenth miles on the dirt at

Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, famed for hosting the annual Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was ...

by a nose on the May 6, 2011, on the

Kentucky Oaks The Kentucky Oaks is a Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred Filly, fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers at Churchill Downs; the horses carry . The Kentucky O ...

undercard. The field for the Alysheba was exceptionally deep, including grade 1 winners Giant Oak and Awesome Gem, multiple grade II winner Mission Impazible (the 5-2 morning line favorite), and grade II winners Caracortado and Regal Ransom. On July 9, 2011, First Dude won his first Grade 1 race in the

Hollywood Gold Cup The Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of miles on the dirt held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California in May. The race currently offers a purse of $400,000. ...

Hollywood Park Hollywood Park may refer to: Places United States * Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California * Hollywood Park, Chicago, a neighborhood in North Park, Chicago, Illinois * Hollywood Park, Inglewood, an entertainment complex and m ...

. He was taken off the pace by jockey Martin Garcia and, with a quarter mile left to run, charged from fifth place to a nose victory over stablemate Game On Dude and odds-on favorite Twirling Candy.

Pedigree

{{Pedigree , name = First Dude , f = Stephen Got Even bay 1996 , m = Run Sarah Run dark brown 2000 , ff =

dark brown 1989 , fm = Immerse bay 1988 , mf =

bay 1992 , mm = Breech gray 1984 , fff =

Seattle Slew Seattle Slew (February 15, 1974 – May 7, 2002) was a champion American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who became the tenth winner of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States), American Triple Crown (1977). He is one of only ...

brown 1974 , ffm =

Weekend Surprise Weekend Surprise (April 8, 1980 – March 13, 2001) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and dam of 1992 American Horse of the Year A.P. Indy and 1990 Preakness Stakes winner Summer Squall. She was sired by the famous Triple Crown winner S ...

bay 1980 , fmf =

Cox's Ridge {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = Cox's Ridge , image = , caption = , sire = Best Turn , grandsire = Turn-To , dam = Our Martha , damsire = Ballydonnell , sex = Stallion , foaled = 1974 , country = United States , colour = Bay , b ...

bay 1974 , fmm = Baroness Direct
bay 1981 , mff = Mr. Prospector
bay 1970 , mfm =

Classy 'n Smart Classy 'n Smart (May 20, 1981 – September 28, 1999) was a Canadian Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred and raced by Sam-Son Farm, she won five of nine career starts, including two legs of what would later be known as the Canadian Triple T ...

bay 1981 , mmf =

Relaunch Relaunch (March 16, 1976 – November 5, 1996) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Background Relaunch was a gray horse bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm & Taylor Made Farms. During his racing career he was owned by Glen Hill ...

gray 1976 , mmm = Scatter Plan
bay 1968 , ffff =

Bold Reasoning Bold Reasoning (April 29, 1968 – April 24, 1975) was an American thoroughbred racehorse. He is best known as being the sire of the 1977 Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Tri ...

, fffm =

My Charmer My Charmer (March 25, 1969 – December 4, 1993) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as an outstanding broodmare. Background My Charmer was a bay mare bred by Ben Castleman in Kentucky. She was sired by Bowling Green Handicap wi ...

, ffmf =

Secretariat Secretariat may refer to: * Secretariat (administrative office) * Secretariat (horse) Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who is the ninth winne ...

, ffmm = Lassie Dear , fmff = Best Turn , fmfm = Our Martha , fmmf =

Blushing Groom Blushing Groom (8 April 1974 – 6 May 1992) was a French champion Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse and sire (horse), sire. Background He was bred by American businessman John McNamee Sullivan and was raced by Aga Khan IV, HH Aga Khan IV. A ...

, fmmm = Avum , mfff =

Raise a Native Raise a Native (April 18, 1961 – July 28, 1988) was an undefeated Thoroughbred Horse racing, racehorse that was named 1963 champion two-year-old colt in the Turf and Sport Digest poll and was the highest rated juvenile in the Experimental Free ...

, mffm = Gold Digger , mfmf =

Smarten Smarten (April 17, 1976 – March 31, 2003) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and successful sire. Bred in Maryland by Jim and Eleanor Ryan and raced under their Ryehill Farm banner, he had a record of 27: 11-8-2 with career earnings of $716, ...

, mfmm = No Class , mmff =

In Reality In Reality (March 1, 1964 – May 8, 1989) was an American bred racehorse. Bred in Florida, he was a son of Intentionally and out of the mare My Dear Girl, the 1959 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. His damsire was Santa Anita Derby winner ...

, mmfm = Foggy Note , mmmf = Quadrangle , mmmm = Purdah }

References

* Pedigree Profil

for First Dude 2007 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Florida Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 3-l