Tag: Major Dude

Bolt d’Oro’s Major Dude Back To Winning Ways in Kitten’s Joy

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+++.
*Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Flightline Tops Saturday BC Workers

Unbeaten sensation and guaranteed GI Breeders' Cup Classic favorite Flightline (Tapit) put in his final prep for the World Championships at Keeneland Saturday. The 'TDN Rising Star' covered five furlongs solo in 1:00.60 (4/62) shortly after 7:30 a.m. under assistant trainer Juan Leyva.

“I told Juan to go in a minute and change and out [seven-eighths] in 1:26, and that's what he did,” trainer John Sadler said. “Juan's a great work rider. It was not about going fast today, just getting around there happy today.”

Flightline arrived at Keeneland Sunday from his Santa Anita home base.

“He's had a good week and gotten settled in, and the track is a little similar to Del Mar,” Sadler said, noting that Flightline's schedule for next week will include returning to the track to jog Monday, gallop Tuesday through Friday and not go to the track the morning of the Classic.

Life Is Good Tops Pletcher Workers

Classic contender and 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief) worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 on his own at Keeneland Saturday with fractions of :12, :24.60, :49, 1:00.60 then out six furlongs in 1:13.20, seven-eighths in 1:25.80 and the mile in 1:39.80.

“He is a superior work horse,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Today was typical of what we have seen his whole career.”

Pletcher is confident his charge will get the 10-furlong distance this time after a failed effort in the G1 Dubai World Cup.

“He is hard to pull up at the end [of his workouts],” the conditioner said. “We are eager to run on a real track not like in Dubai, which was really deep that night. I think that played against him.”

Pletcher's other Classic pre-entrant Happy Saver (Super Saver) had what the trainer called a “spirited gallop” in lieu of a timed breeze.

“We let him two-minute clip the whole way around,” Pletcher said. “We are going to do similar to what we did before the [GI Met Mile]: just one breeze two weeks out. He tends to run better when he is fresh. He'll have a few more strong gallops. He won't breeze again.”

Also working this morning on the main track for Pletcher were GI Breeders' Cup Distaff runners Nest (Curlin) and Malathaat (Curlin). In company with recent maiden winner Inventing (Union Rags), Nest worked a half-mile in :50.40. Malathaat worked a half-mile in :49.60 with the 3-year-old maiden Old Point (Curlin).

Working on the grass together were GI Shadwell Mile winner Annapolis GI (Mile) and GII Pilgrim S. victor Major Dude (GI Juvenile Turf), who were timed in :50.40 for a half-mile.

Charlie Puts in Final Classic Prep

Gutsy GII Lukas Classic winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) also had his final breeze ahead of the BC Classic Saturday in Lexington, going six panels in company in 1:12.80.

“He looked good and I got him in 1:12 4/5,” trainer Doug O'Neill said.

Other O'Neill BC workers included Awake At Midnyte (Nyquist) (5f, 1:01.20, Distaff), Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) (5f, 1:00.40, GI Dirt Mile), Vegas Magic (Good Magic) (5f, 1:02.20, GI Juvenile Fillies) and Sharp Aza Tack (Sharp Azteca) (5f, 1:01 on the training track, GI Juvenile Turf Sprint).

Brown Breezes BC Contingent

Jack Christopher | Coady

Trainer Chad Brown sent out a dozen of his Breeders' Cup pre-entrants, with seven working on the dirt and five on the turf at Keeneland Saturday.

Working a half-mile on the dirt were MGISW Jack Christopher (Munnings) (:48.60, GI Sprint or Dirt Mile), Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) (:47.80, GI Filly and Mare Sprint), Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) (:47.20, GI Juvenile) and working in company I'm Very Busy (Cloud Computing) and Oxymore (Astern {Aus}) (:49.60 Juvenile Turf).

Working five furlongs on the dirt were Search Results (Flatter) (1:01.20, Distaff) and Pipeline (Speightstown) (1:01, Dirt Mile).

On the turf, which was rated as good, were Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) (4f, :49.80, Mile) in company with Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) (4f, :49.80, GI Filly and Mare Turf), In Italian (GB) (4f, :50.80, Filly and Mare Turf) and Virginia Joy (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) (5f, 1:02.60, Filly and Mare Turf) in company with Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) (5f, 1:02.60, Mile).

“We did great,” a beaming Brown said following the works.

Other Keeneland BC Workers Saturday

On the main track were Kimari (Munnings) (5f, 1:01.40, Sprint or Filly and Mare Sprint) and Chi Town Lady (Verrazano) (5f, 1:01.80, Filly and Mare Sprint) in company for Wesley Ward; Willy Boi (Uncaptured) (4f, :49.20, Sprint) for trainer Jorge Delgado and Simplification (Not This Time) (5f, 1:00.40, Dirt Mile) for Antonio Sano.

Working on the turf course were Reckoning Force (Air Force Blue) (4f, :50.40, Juvenile Turf) and Cazadero (Street Sense) (4f, :50.40, Turf Sprint) for Brendan Walsh; Arrest Me Red (Pioneerof the Nile) (5f, 1:03.60, Turf Sprint) and Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (5f, 1:03.80, Turf Sprint) for Wesley Ward; Private Creed (Jimmy Creed) (3f, :39, Juvenile Turf Sprint) for Steve Asmussen; Tyler's Tribe (Sharp Azteca) (3f, :38.20, Juvenile Turf Sprint) for Tim Martin and Caravel (Mizzen Mast) (4f, :51, Turf Sprint) for Brad Cox.

BC Workers at Churchill Downs

MGISW Cyberknife (Gun Runner) put in his final work for the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs Saturday, covering five furlongs in :59 flat. With regular rider Florent Geroux in the saddle, Cyberknife started his work about two lengths behind stablemate Forza Di Oro (Speightstown) and finished even at the completion of his work.

“With a week out from the Breeders' Cup it was the right move we wanted to see,” trainer Brad Cox said. “Both of these horses are really good work horses and I think matching up Cyberknife with him he'd get a lot out of his work. We ended up choosing to run in the Dirt Mile instead of the [GI Breeders' Cup] Classic because we thought it would be the most likely race he could win. The Classic came up a very deep field and even though Cyberknife is going to cut back in distance we feel he can handle the two-turn mile at Keeneland.”

Cox also worked GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint contender Lady Rocket (Tale of the Cat). She went five furlongs in 1:00.60 outside 3-year-old filly Girl With a Dream (Practial Joke). Cyberknife and Lady Rocket, along with Cox juveniles Chop Chop (City of Light) and Verifying (Justify), are scheduled to ship to Keeneland Monday.

Also on the Churchill worktab Saturday was GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint runner Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), who went a half-mile in :47.80 outside of a stablemate.

Taiba Has Final Classic Work at Santa Anita

GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Taiba (Gun Runner) had his final major workout for the Breeders' Cup Classic Saturday, going six furlongs at Santa Anita this morning in 1:13 flat under Juan Ochoa in company with Messier (Empire Maker), who was also clocked in 1:13.

“He went well,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He's not a great work horse, so he went with Messier. I was happy with it. He'll ship tonight for Kentucky].”

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Pletcher’s Breeders’ Cup Team Taking Shape

While life may provide only a handful of certainties, trainer Todd Pletcher showing up with a powerful battalion of runners on Breeders' Cup Day can be counted on to be one of them. The 2022 renewal of the World Championships, slated for Nov. 4-5 at Keeneland, is shaping up to be no different. Since the beginning of the month, the Hall of Famer has annexed seven Grade I or Grade II races, highlighted by Life Is Good (Into Mischief), winner of the Oct. 1 GI Woodward S. Undefeated in four domestic starts this season (he finished fourth in the G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March), the sparkling winner of the 2021 Dirt Mile was confirmed by Pletcher for a likely showdown with Flightline (Tapit) in next month's GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Also trying to give Pletcher his second Classic winner following Vino Rosso in 2019 is Happy Saver (Super Saver), who finished fourth in a competitive renewal of the GII Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs Oct. 1. Last season's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner hit the board in a trio of preceding starts in 2022, including a second to Flightline in the June 11 GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. and runner-up finish behind Life Is Good in the Aug. 6 GI Whitney S.

Also offering an imposing 1-2 punch on the Breeders' Cup Saturday card are Malathaat (Curlin) and Nest (Curlin), both targeting the GI Distaff. Victorious in last season's GI Kentucky Oaks, Central Bank Ashland S. and GI Alabama S., the Shadwell runner took last Sunday's GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland, while her year-younger stablemate–victorious in this summer's Alabama and GI CCA Oaks, and runner-up in the GI Belmont S.–romped in the recent GII Beldame S. in New York.

Pletcher previously won the Distaff with eventual Hall of Famer Ashado (2004) and Stopchargingmaria in 2015.

Always dangerous with his juveniles, Pletcher will be represented by no less than a trio of 2-year-olds, including GI Hopefull S. and GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity victor Forte (Violence), targeting the GI TVG Juvenile, and GI Frizette S. heroine Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke), slated to contest the GI NetJets Juvenile Fillies. Also set to reappear over the championship weekend is Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro), who punched his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf with a victory in the Oct. 2 GII Pilgrim S.

Rounding out Team Pletcher's championship team is Annapolis (War Front). Victorious in the Manila S. at Belmont earlier this summer, the son of My Miss Sophia subsequently added a win in the Saranac S. at Saratoga before earning a Mile berth with a score in the GI Coolmore Turf Mile S. at Keeneland Oct. 8.

Already responsible for a dozen Breeders' Cup victories since earning his first win in 2004, Pletcher has finished third or better with 43 runners–registering a 28% in-the-money strike rate–while amassing $22.5 million in earnings.

Given the caliber of runners already engaged for this year's showcase next month, it appears likely that those figures will continue their upward trajectory.

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Bolt d’Oro Colt Battles Back to Take WAYI Pilgrim

Major Dude gave his freshman sire a second graded winner on the grass and trainer Todd Pletcher a record fifth GII Pilgrim S. trophy Sunday as he stamped his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf next month. A debut winner at Monmouth June 18, the $550,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling could only manage sixth in the Spa's GIII Sanford S. July 16 and was third behind romping stablemate Lost Ark (Violence) when stretched to a mile for Monmouth's Aug. 27 Sapling S. He had posted a couple of breezes over the Belmont turf in preparation for this first foray on the lawn, but was dismissed at 10-1 while looking to help Pletcher defend his Pilgrim title (Annapolis {War Front} won it last year).

Away well, Major Dude was reined by hot-handed Irad Ortiz, Jr. into the first turn to sit in a joint third behind a pace that seemed hot enough visually over the soft going (:24.10, :49.73, 1:15.84). He mounted an outside move to take over at the head of the lane, but was immediately tackled by odds-on Chad Brown pupil I'm Very Busy. That one seemed to have all the momentum, but Major Dude had the heart and edged away in the shadow of the wire to prevail by daylight. New York-bred longshot Lachaise was rolling late, but ran out of ground and settled for third.

“First of all, at the half-mile, I think I can go by those horses whenever I want to,” said Ortiz. “I feel like my horse switched off on the backside and saved a lot of energy for the end and I took some time.

“It was a longshot, the other horse [Movisitor], so coming back, I took my time and when I asked him to go by [Trevor] McCarthy's horse, I didn't go by that easy, so I had to start working a little earlier than I thought. But finally going to the quarter-pole, he made the lead, I asked him and he responded really well and moved forward. Then the other horse was beside me and when he felt that, he fought back.”

Ortiz won two graded stakes Saturday, including the GI Woodward S. aboard Pletcher-trained Life Is Good (Into Mischief); and he was completing a graded double for himself and Pletcher in the Pilgrim after booting home Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke) in the GI Frizette S.

“He's a colt that we've really liked from the very beginning,” Pletcher said of Major Dude. “He was one of the first to come in [this year]. He was training well on the dirt and we gave him a couple opportunities and we just kind of got the feeling that we weren't getting everything that we thought we had. So, I saw a couple of Bolt d'Oros were running well on the turf and said, 'Let's work him on the turf.' Then it was like, 'OK, that's what we were hoping to see.' I'm not surprised he stepped up today. He's always been a very professional, straightforward colt. I'm happy he found what he was looking for.”

Pletcher confirmed that the Nov. 4 Juvenile Turf would be next.

Sunday, Belmont at the Big A
PILGRIM S.-GII, $200,000, Belmont at the Big A, 10-2, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:46.60, yl.
1–MAJOR DUDE, 120, c, 2, 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
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($550,000
Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Clearsky Farms
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $110,000. Lifetime
Record: 4-2-0-1, $165,250. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–I'm Very Busy, 120, c, 2, Cloud Computing–Two Kisses, by
Kissin Kris. 'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED
BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 Ylg '21 EASOCT; $135,000 2yo '22
OBSMAR). O-Team Hanley, Richard Schermerhorn & Paul
Braverman; B-Glenn E. Brok LLC (PA); T-Chad C. Brown.
$40,000.
3–Lachaise, 120, r, 2, Oscar Performance–Elusive Rumour, by
Elusive Quality. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($180,000 RNA Ylg '21 SARAUG). O/B-Lawrence Goichman
(NY); T-Jorge R. Abreu. $24,000.
Margins: 1, 1HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 10.20, 0.75, 14.00.
Also Ran: Noble Huntsman, Ramblin' Wreck, Dataman, Battle of Normandy, Movisitor, Bramble Blaze, Fly Right, Torigo. Scratched: Vacation Dance.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.

Pedigree Notes:

Major Dude becomes the fourth stakes winner for his highly regarded freshman sire, and the second to make the grade following in the hoofsteps of Boppy O, who exited a 10th-place run in the Sanford to upend Saratoga's GIII With Anticipation S. Aug. 31 in this same division. Both Bolt d'Oro and the runner-up's sire Cloud Computing stand at Spendthrift Farm.

This is the 54th graded winner worldwide out of a mare by top broodmare sire Distorted Humor, who also sired the dam of aforementioned Life Is Good. Standouts bred on the Medaglia d'Oro–Distorted Humor cross include Hong Kong Horse of the the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) and domestic MGISWs Elate and New Money Honey.

Major Dude's third dam is the great Personal Ensign. His dam, fourth behind Untapable (Tapit) in the 2014 GII Fair Grounds Oaks, was acquired by the Cleary family's Clearsky Farms for $230,000 at KEENOV '16. Her subsequent two foals, by Into Mischief, fetched $850,000 and $1,025,000, respectively. The  BSW/Crow Colts Group, Spendthrift Farm and Gandharvi bought Mary Rita's yearling colt by Audible for $150,000 recently at Keeneland September. The dam was unsuccessfully bred to Authentic after that, and visited Charlatan this past season.

 

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