Solitude Dude backs up debut romp with easy win in Inaugural Stakes
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Solitude Dude likes being by himself at the finish line. And that’s just fine with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
After winning his debut by 9 1/2 lengths at Gulfstream Park on Nov. 1, the 2-year-old Solitude Dude shipped across the state and was all by his lonesome again at the end of the $102,500 Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, taking that six-furlong race by eight lengths.
It was certainly not unexpected. Solitude Dude was sent off the 1-9 favorite in a six-horse field, returning $2.20 to win.
Breaking from the outside post under Edgard Zayas, Solitude Dude was forward out of the gate, but Super Kick, under Jesus Castanon, was quicker, and ran an opening quarter in 21.68 seconds. Approaching the quarter pole, Solitude Dude ran by Super Kick and Zayas just hand rode him to the wire in achieving the expansive victory.
“He’s an amazing horse, a very nice horse,” Zayas told Tampa Bay Downs publicity. “I’m very excited to see how he runs in the future. It looks like he has a lot of ability.”
Speaking of Saturday’s effort, Zayas said “He broke good and I could tell he was a classy horse. He sat second and was on cruise control the whole time until I asked about the three-eighths pole. Once he got momentum, he opened up and let him go all the way to the wire.”
Solitude Dude, a son of Yaupon owned by Chris Fountoukis, covered the six furlongs in 1:09.07.
“I think it was a strong performance,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said in a telephone interview with Daily Racing Form. “Obviously, second time out, facing better horses, he’s supposed to win on his numbers, but a lot of things they’re supposed to do they don’t do. I thought the performance was big.”
Max Capacity rallied from last under Pablo Morales to get second by 1 3/4 lengths over Langvad, the latter also trained by Joseph. Super Kick and Go Simple completed the order of finish. Thunder Chuck was scratched.
Joseph said Solitude Dude would ship back to his Palm Meadows stable Saturday night and he would evaluate how he trains deciding on what would be next.
Showing an affinity for Tampa could lead Solitude Dude back for races like the Pasco Stakes, a seven-furlong race on Jan. 10, the $250,000 Sam F. Davis at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 7, and/or the Grade 3, $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby on March 7.
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