Solitude Dude has no problems with easy Swale victory
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The 3-year-old Solitude Dude scored another easy victory, making decisions about his next start a little tougher.
Solitude Dude went gate to wire under Irad Ortiz Jr. to win Saturday’s $150,000 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park by 3 3/4 lengths for his third victory in as many starts. All those wins have come in races run around one turn. The question is whether he can get two turns or if he’ll even be given the opportunity to try.
“The horse is a good horse, I think the horse is a high-quality horse, I think he has Grade 1 ability,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “Does he have Grade 1 ability going two turns? I don’t know about that. Time will tell, if we even try it, but I think he’s got Grade 1 ability at a mile or less.”
Joseph said if Solitude Dude is given the chance to go two turns, it will be in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth here on Feb. 28.
Solitude Dude came into the Swale with dominant victories in a maiden race at Gulfstream and the Inaugural Stakes at Tampa.
The field for the Swale was marginally better than those fields, with horses such as debut winner Class President and the listed stakes winner Diciassette among the competition.
With the outside of Gulfstream’s main track much better than the inside, Ortiz wanted to stay a few paths off the rail, something his outside draw allowed him to do. Around the far turn, Class President, under John Velazquez, came on the inside to challenge but Solitude Dude had more in the tank and drew away.
Solitude Dude, a son of Yaupon owned by Chris Fountoukis, covered the seven furlongs in 1:23.46 (95 Beyer Speed Figure) and returned $2.40 as the heavy favorite.
Class President finished second by 1 3/4 lengths over Hammond. Diciassette, Epic Summer, and Langvad complete the order of finish.
“What impressed me is how fast he is and how smooth he did it,” said Ortiz, riding Solitude Dude, for the first time. “I don’t have to do anything. I just put my hands down and he relaxed, came back to me and switched off really, really nice. Makes me think he’ll be able to go a little farther because he definitely has ability.”
Joseph said the fact Solitude Dude is by Yaupon leads him to believe the horse will have distance limitations.
“The one thing he has is he’s relaxed for a horse that has so many gears, you can gallop on a loose rein basically,” Joseph said. “That would help him get further.”
Solitude is an undefeated 3-year-old. It’s that time of year. Expect him to given the opportunity to try.
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