Number One Dude back with his friends in Will Rogers Stakes
Number One Dude, who is unbeaten against Oklahoma-breds, will return to restricted company Tuesday at Will Rogers Downs for the $55,000 Will Rogers Stakes.
The race, which will be run at a mile, is for 3-year-olds bred in Oklahoma. The field of eight includes the stakes-placed runners J B’s Legacy and Winners Luck.
Number One Dude is 3 for 3 against Oklahoma-breds. The wins came last year at Remington in his first three starts. He won a maiden special weight by 7 1/2 lengths in September, the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Juvenile by a length in October, and the $75,000 Don C. McNeill by six lengths in November.
Number One Dude has since been facing open company. He was eighth to Senor Buscador in the $200,000 Springboard Mile in December at Remington Park, then launched his 3-year-old season May 9 at Lone Star Park. Number One Dude finished fifth in a mile allowance won by Rightandjust, who is now being pointed to the $300,000 Texas Derby, according to his trainer, Shane Wilson.
Kari Craddock trains Number One Dude, a son of American Lion who races for his breeder, Terry Westemeir.
Number One Dude ran one of his best races in the Don C. McNeill, which came at the mile distance he travels Tuesday. The horse settled off the pace in what was his two-turn debut, then stormed home. He earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 69.
Number One Dude will break from post 7 on Tuesday, under Leandro Goncalves.
Winners Luck was third in the McNeill. He’s moving back to two turns for the first time since that race. Winners Luck comes in off a $15,000 conditioned claiming win over 5 1/2 furlongs. He was flattered when runner-up El Vale came back to win another $15,000 conditioned claimer at Will Rogers by 7 1/4 lengths, with a Beyer of 70.
Winners Luck is a son of Itsmyluckyday and a half-brother to Katabatic, a winner of the Cinema Stakes at a mile at Will Rogers.
J B’s Legacy is another stretching out in distance. He was third in a maiden special weight sprint May 10 at Will Rogers. Earlier in his career, he ran second to Number One Dude in the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile.
Just Chillin owns the field’s best last-race and career-best Beyer Speed Figure, a 72 for a maiden special weight win over 5 1/2 furlongs on May 10 at Will Rogers.
Will Rogers closes its meet Wednesday.