Gulfstream: Major Dude gets perfect trip, wins Kitten’s Joy

In the reverse of his prior start where he was unable to find running room until too late, Spendthrift Farm’s Major Dude got an ideal trip under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and powered through the stretch to overtake pacesetting stablemate Dude N Colorado and capture Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Kitten’s Joy (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

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Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Major Dude settled in fourth while Dude N Colorado, exiting a front-running maiden triumph Dec. 24 on the Tapeta at Gulfstream, raced through a quarter-mile in 23.09 and a half-mile in 47.24 seconds, pressed by Boppy O.

The first six furlongs of the 1 1/16-mile race went in 1:10.88 with the leaders unchanged but Ortiz able to tip Major Dude outside and in position for a clear run down the lane, getting up inside the eighth pole and drawing clear.

Candidate, unbeaten in three previous turf starts including the Jan. 7 Dania Beach at Gulfstream over Major Dude, got up to be second ahead of Dude N Colorado. They were followed by Boppy O, Souzak, Congruent, Lights of Broadway and Moon Cat.

“Major Dude, we just wanted to focus on getting him out in the clear a little sooner,” Pletcher said. “The last time he just got bottled up a little too long behind a slow pace. He closed well that day, he just ran out of time. Irad was able to maneuver him out into the clear and give him plenty of time to put his run together, and he finished very well. He’s a super nice colt, very consistent.”

Pletcher said a return to the main track could be coming for Major Dude.

“I’ll talk to the guys at Spendthrift,” he said. “We’re kicking around the idea of putting him on the dirt at some point. We’ll see when that opportunity comes up.”

Major Dude, by Bolt d’Oro, made his first three starts on dirt last summer, running third in the Sapling at Monmouth Park. He won the Pilgrim (G2) at Aqueduct in his turf debut and has remained on grass since, finishing ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and second in the Dania Beach.

It was the third win of the day for Pletcher following 3-year-olds King’s Fortune ($14.40) in race 5 and Tapit Trice ($4.60) in race 8.

The Kitten’s Joy was the second of five graded stakes for 3-year-olds and the first of two on the grass preceding the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3), the next step on Gulfstream’s road to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) on April 1.