Major Dude opts for sure spot in deep American Turf Stakes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Kentucky Derby isn’t the only 3-year-old stakes race that initially attracted an overflow field Saturday at Churchill Downs – and some in the full starting gate for the Grade 2, $500,000 American Turf had flirted with Derby aspirations at one point or another.

Major Dude, a multiple graded stakes winner on turf, finished second in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby in March on Turfway Park’s Tapeta, beaten 5 1/4 lengths by Derby-bound Two Phil’s. That effort had Major Dude 22nd in the point standings toward the 20-horse Derby starting gate as of Monday, when entries were taken.

Between being an also-eligible for the Derby or having a guaranteed spot in the American Turf, owner Spendthrift Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher chose the American Turf. The same connections have unbeaten Louisiana Derby winner Kingsbarns, who Major Dude has been breezing in company with, in the Derby field.

“I really like the way he’s been training – his breezes with Kingsbarns were very good and gave us the optimism to give the Derby a try,” Pletcher said. “But once we knew we weren’t going to be in the body of the race and were going to need two defections, we felt like we wanted to give him the opportunity to run.”

Major Dude won the Grade 2 Pilgrim Stakes last fall before finishing ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Earlier this year in Florida, he was second in the Dania Beach and won the Grade 3 Kitten’s Joy.

Despite a solid record, Major Dude is far from a sure thing in a field of 14 accomplished 3-year-olds, plus two also-eligibles. His task was made more difficult as he and Irad Ortiz Jr. drew the rail.

“Hopefully, we work out a ground-saving trip around the first turn, and then Irad can look for a position somewhere down the backstretch,” Pletcher said.

Three others expected to run following early scratches, Andthewinneris (fifth in the Gun Runner), Mendelssohns March (sixth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass), and Scoobie Quando (second in the John Battaglia Memorial, ninth in the Blue Grass), contested Derby points races as well.

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Funtastic Again was a front-running winner of the Leonatus at Turfway before setting the pace and finishing third in the Jeff Ruby. He was announced as an early scratch on Friday by Churchill Downs, and his withdrawal could be key to the development of this race.

Mo Stash was left alone in dictating a moderate tempo to control and win the Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland last out. Although the race is not devoid of additional speed – longshot Desert Duke is likely to attend the pace – Mo Stash’s task just got much easier.

Likely to stalk the pace in the second flight could be Behind Enemy Lines, winner of the Cutler Bay in his first U.S. start; Columbia Stakes winner Talk of the Nation; and Johannes, winner of two straight at Santa Anita.

A contested pace would suit the late-running graded stakes winner Andthewinneris and unbeaten Far Bridge, who makes his stakes debut in his first start since being transferred from Christophe Clement to Pletcher.

Andthewinneris, whose biggest win came in the Grade 2 Bourbon last fall, won the Texas Turf Mile to start this season. Since then, he has finished fourth in the Black Gold Stakes and fifth in the Transylvania. He was crowded and/or steadied in both races.

“We got in trouble – we had plenty trouble the last two races,” trainer Wayne Catalano said. “Hopefully, we get a cleaner trip this time around. Hopefully, he gets himself in a good spot, and when he makes his run, he gets clear this time.”

Scoobie Quando, who draws in off the also-eligible list, won the Turfway Prevue sprinting in his career debut. His only unplaced effort came in the Blue Grass on dirt.

Cutler Bay runner-up Anglophile, Transylvania third-place finisher Webslinger, Florida-bred stakes winner Otago, and impressive maiden winner Carl Spackler complete the field.

Wadsworth has scratched off the also-eligible list.

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