Stallwalkin' Dude stays busy in Mr. Prospector
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – With seven victories and more than $564,000 in the bank already this season, Stallwalkin’ Dude’s 2015 campaign could have ended with his gutsy triumph earlier this month in the Claiming Crown Rapid Transit. But the old war horse will get one more chance to add to his impressive résumé when he takes on six rivals in Saturday’s $100,000 Mr. Prospector at Gulfstream Park.
The Grade 3 Mr. Prospector will be decided at six furlongs and highlights an 11-race program that also includes the $100,000 Tropical Park Derby and its filly counterpart, the Tropical Oaks.
Stallwalkin’ Dude has run at least once every month this year, beginning the season finishing third in a lower-level allowance race at Aqueduct on Jan. 15. He has competed at eight different tracks up and down the East Coast, as well as at Keeneland, where he finished eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. His best effort this year arguably came in defeat when he finished third, beaten a neck by the odds-on Rock Fall, in the Grade 1 Vosburgh. The 5-year-old Stallwalkin’ Dude dug in gamely after being headed by Trouble Kid near midstretch to register a neck decision two weeks ago in the seven-furlong Rapid Transit.
“He hasn’t missed an oat since his last start. He’s tearing the walls down,” said trainer David Jacobson. “He’s run so much, he’s so fit, you really don’t have to do anything with him between races. He’s a special horse. I wish I had 10 more like him.”
Stallwalkin’ Dude will have his hands full against a field so competitive that the last two winners of the event, Speechify and Singanothersong, likely will be among the longest prices on the board.
Weekend Hideaway cruised to an allowance win in an off-the-turf sprint last month at Gulfstream Park West. It was his first victory since coasting to victory in the Sunshine Millions Sprint in his 2015 debut.
X Y Jet easily defeated Weekend Hideaway en route to a convincing 4 1/2-length wire-to-wire allowance victory at Gulfstream West on Nov. 11. The win was the second straight for the improved 3-year-old X Y Jet since he went to the sidelines following a poor performance here last winter in the Swale Stakes.
Speechify rallied to a 1 1/4-length decision in the 2014 Mr. Prospector but has gone winless in four subsequent starts while fortunate to escape a frightening spill at Keeneland in October. Singanothersong is trying to snap a nine-race losing streak since winning the Mr. Prospector in 2013.
Mr. Prospector, Race 4
KEY CONTENDERS
Stallwalkin’ Dude (Last 3 Beyers: 102-90-98)
◗ Although he’s coming off a win going seven furlongs in the Rapid Transit, trainer Jacobson believes six furlongs might be Stallwalkin’ Dude’s best distance.
“It’s debatable what he likes best, but I know I like him better at three-quarters,” said Jacobson.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Stallwalkin’ Dude. Trainer David Jacobson is 18-1-1-2 with a $0.94 ROI over the past five years in graded stakes outside of New York state. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Weekend Hideaway (Last 3 Beyers: 84-86-91)
◗ Chased Stallwalkin’ Dude home on two occasions this year, in the Tale of the Cat Stakes at Saratoga and the Vosburgh, when finishing a tiring sixth after being hard used contesting the pace.
X Y Jet (Last 3 Beyers: 98-78-35)
◗ The lone 3-year-old in the lineup will be dangerous if he can shake clear early from Weekend Hideaway and C. Zee.
Speechify (Last 3 Beyers: 63-NA-87)
◗ He comes off a disappointing effort when well beaten by Weekend Hideaway in his first start since his eventful race in the Grade 3 Woodford on Oct. 3.
“I don’t know what happened last time,” said trainer Ralph Nicks. “After falling at Keeneland, he might have been a little intimidated being down on the inside, but he got a race back into him, seems fine, and he runs well over this track.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 C. Zee. Trainer Stanley Gold is 13-4-3-1 with a $6.63 ROI over the past year going turf to dirt at Gulfstream Park. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan