Stallwalkin' Dude will stay home to attempt Bold Ruler repeat

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer David Jacobson did not have a last-minute change of heart and pre-enter Stallwalkin’ Dude in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 4 at Del Mar. Instead, Jacobson will be quite content for the 7-year-old gelding to seek a repeat victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park.

In 2015, Jacobson ran Stallwalkin’ Dude in the BC Sprint where he finished eighth, beaten 4 1/2 lengths. That year, he finished third, beaten a neck, in the Grade 1 Vosburgh. Last month, Stallwalkin’ Dude again finished third in the Grade 1 Vosburgh, but Jacobson sees this year’s Sprint coming up extremely tough.

“If he would have won it, we would have given it serious consideration,” said Jacobson, who owns Stallwalkin’ Dude in partnership with Sol Kumin’s Head of Plains Partners. “This year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint has some really good horses. We’re trying to find an easier spot. He deserves it.”

Stallwalkin’ Dude has won 19 of 57 career starts and $1.5 million. He’s won seven stakes, his lone graded win coming in last year’s Bold Ruler which he won by 1 1/2 lengths over Threefiveindia.

Stallwalkin’ Dude was made the 122-pound highweight for the Bold Ruler, run at seven furlongs. He will take on a field that is expected to include Divining Rod (118), Seymourdini (118), Tale of S’avall (117), Alfeet Willy (116), Green Gratto (116), Tom’s Ready (116), and the 3-year-old Mr. Crow (115). Awesome Banner (118), Threefiveindia (116), Tommy Macho (116), and Beasley (114) were possible.

Meanwhile, Jacobson said that Ostrolenka, a neck winner of Saturday’s $150,000 Hudson Stakes for New York-breds, came out of his race in good order and would likely be pointed to a stakes race in late November such as the Fabulous Strike at Penn National or the Fall Highweight at Aqueduct.

“We’ll see how Stallwalkin’ Dude does on Saturday,” Jacobson said.