Major Dude wins Pilgrim, punches ticket to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - A change of surface resulted in a change of fortune for Major Dude and now trainer Todd Pletcher has another runner for this year’s Breeders’ Cup.
Making his turf debut after three starts on dirt, Major Dude repelled a midstretch challenge from odds-on favorite I’m Very Busy to win Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Pilgrim Stakes by one length to earn an automatic, fees-paid berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 4.
The win capped a weekend in which Pletcher won three graded stakes at Aqueduct including Sunday’s Grade 1 Frizette with Chocolate Gelato and Saturday’s Grade 1 Woodward with Life Is Good.
While Chocolate Gelato and Life Is Good were favorites, Major Dude was sent off at 10-1 owing to the fact he had never before been on turf. After a debut win sprinting on dirt at Monmouth Park in June, Major Dude finished sixth in the Grade 3 Sanford at Saratoga and third in the Sapling at Monmouth. Pletcher saw a few progeny of Bolt d’Oro, the sire of Major Dude, had success on turf, so he opted to work the colt over Belmont’s turf twice and was pleased with the results.
Of course, those works came over firm ground. On Sunday, the turf at Aqueduct was yielding to soft.
Under Irad Ortiz Jr., Major Dude broke well and was sitting third, about four lengths off the pace established by Fly Right and stalked by Movisitor. Ortiz said he felt he could take the front two whenever he wanted, but when he got to Movisitor around the quarter pole, he had to work harder than anticipated to get to the lead.
Once in front, a new challenge came from I’m Very Busy, who, under Flavien Prat was eighth early but advancing swiftly, albeit five-wide. I’m Very Busy got to Major Due at the eighth pole, but Major Dude fought back and was edging away in the final 70 yards.
“When he felt that horse he was game all the way to the wire,” said Ortiz, who was aboard all three of Pletcher’s stakes wins over the weekend.
Pletcher said he thought I’m Very Busy was the most impressive 2-year-old turf maiden winner of the Saratoga meet and was naturally worried when he confronted Major Dude.
“When I saw him revving up I said ‘Oh man, he’s got a real turn of foot,’ " Pletcher said. “When he got to us, our colt re-engaged and found a little more.”
Major Dude, owned by Spendthrift Farm, covered the 1 1/16 miles over yielding ground in 1:46.60 and returned $22.40 to win. He earned a 76 Beyer Speed Figure.
Prat said he didn’t think he had the best of trips aboard I’m Very Busy, but when he got to Major Dude, “I thought I was going to win by two or three,” he said. “I hooked up with that horse and I couldn’t go by him. I think the ground is probably a bit too soft. He has a great turn of foot but on that ground as long as I was on the bridle, I was good, but he then just got a little flat.”
I’m Very Busy finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of Lachaise. Noble Huntsman was fourth, followed by Ramblin’ Wreck, Dataman, Battle of Normandy, Movisitor, Bramble Blaze, Fly Right and Torigo. Vacation Dance scratched.
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