Major Dude brings versatility to Penn Mile
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Whether it’s dirt, synthetic, or turf, Major Dude has been competitive against quality competition.
On Friday at Penn National, Major Dude has a chance to add to his excellent record when he starts as the likely favorite in the Grade 2, $400,000 Penn Mile for 3-year-olds on turf.
The Penn Mile is the feature race on an 11-race card that also includes the $150,000 Penn Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at one mile on turf as well as four $100,000 stakes for Pennsylvania-breds.
Trained by Todd Pletcher for Spendthrift Farm, Major Dude was stakes-placed on dirt at 2 and captured the Grade 2 Pilgrim on turf that fall.
In 2023, he scored in the Grade 3 Kitten’s Joy on turf on Feb. 4 at Gulfstream, finished second as the favorite behind subsequent Kentucky Derby runner-up Two Phil’s on synthetic in Turfway’s Grade 3 Jeff Ruby, and then was a close third in last month’s Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill.
Major Dude breaks from post 2 under Irad Ortiz Jr. in the Penn Mile and can adapt to any pace scenario.
Candidate, the 5-2 second choice on the morning line, traded decisions with Major Dude at Gulfstream earlier in the year. He recently finished sixth in Keeneland’s Grade 3 Transylvania on April 7 after an awkward start. That race was contested over good turf. Candidate is unbeaten from three starts on firm going.
“He was in between horses, wasn’t very comfortable, pulling a little bit,” trainer Arnaud Delacour said about the Transylvania. “I think the poor start jeopardized his position.”
Delacour gave Candidate a little break since the Transylvania and is pleased with his charge’s recent breezes.
“We gelded him since the last race just to help him focus a little bit,” Delacour said. “He was a little bit immature in the way he was running.”
Tuskegee Airmen, a stakes winner and Grade 2-placed on dirt last year, makes his turf debut for trainer John Servis after finishing fourth of five in his seasonal debut, Belmont’s Gold Fever Stakes at six furlongs on May 12.
“We were using that as a prep,” Servis said about the Gold Fever. “We felt that the race would be as good as six or seven works. I thought he ran creditably. He’s a big, flat-footed horse with pedigree to turf and acts like he likes it.”
Servis believes Tuskegee Airmen will be “fairly close to the pace.”
Behind Enemy Lines won his North American debut for trainer Jack Sisterson when grabbing Gulfstream’s Cutler Bay on April 1. He finished behind Major Dude when sixth in the American Turf and should appreciate cutting back to a mile.
Recruiter won his first four starts before finishing 11th over muddy going in the Grade 3 Gotham on March 4 at Aqueduct. He returned from two months on the sidelines to whip a high-level, off-turf allowance field on May 6 at Penn National.
The Penn Mile will be Recruiter’s turf debut, but he appears to have the best early speed of this group.
Movisitor, Fletcher, and Upstate and Back complete the field.
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