Solitude Dude

Centennial Farms' Nearly (Not This Time) was no worse for wear at Palm Beach Downs Sunday morning after an impressive victory in Saturday's GIII Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream. "He came back well," Todd Pletcher said. "He was feeling frisky [Sunday] morning." Making his two-turn and stakes debuts in the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds, Nearly stamped himself as a leading prospect for this year's GI Kentucky Derby. It was his third straight victory at the Hallandale Beach oval. "We thought it was a really strong performance.  He put himself...

Looking to take his career record to a perfect three wins from as many visits to the races, Chris Fountoukis's SOLITUDE DUDE (c, 3, Yaupon--After the Party, by Into Mischief) made every yard to record his second career stakes success in Saturday's Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Off to a smart beginning from the outside gate in a compact field of six, the $300,000 OBS June breezer came across his rivals but was purposely kept in about the three path, going the first couple of furlongs in a hasslefree :23.30,...

Solitude Dude (c, 2, Yaupon--After the Party, by Into Mischief), a runaway 9 1/2-length debut winner at Gulfstream Nov. 1, made 1-9 look like a bargain in Saturday's Inaugural S. at Tampa Bay Downs. He chased in second through an opening quarter in :21.68, took over at the five-sixteenths and opened daylight in the stretch to win by eight lengths while stopping the timer for six furlongs in a sharp 1:09.07. Max Capacity (Maxfield) was second; Langvad (Awesome Slew) was third. Solitude Dude becomes the eighth black-type winner for his...

6. SOLITUDE DUDE, GP, 11/1, 6 1/2 furlongs. (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 86 (c, 2, by Yaupon--After the Party, by Into Mischief) O-Chris Fountoukis. B-Martha Buckner and Matthew Ernst (Ky). T-Saffie Joseph, Jr.. J-Micah Husbands. Debuting as third betting choice (another Saffie Joseph first-timer was favored), he drubbed the competition by 9 1/2 lengths after setting the fractions. Joseph signed the $300k ticket in June at OBS for the son of first-crop sire Yaupon. The jury is still out on Yaupon's stamina genes, and Solitude Dude's dam was also a...