Wild Dude will stay home for Triple Bend, Breeders' Cup Sprint

ARCADIA, Calif. - Southern California freeways are likely to be the extent of travel this year for Wild Dude, the winner of Saturday’s $201,035 Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita.

Sunday, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Wild Dude will “absolutely” be pointed for the $300,000 Triple Bend Stakes, a Grade 1 at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on June 25. Hollendorfer said the long-range goal for Wild Dude is the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 5, and that out-of-state races are doubtful this year.

“It’s a little easier to run them here rather than shipping all over the place,” Hollendorfer said.

Wild Dude, co-owned by Hollendorfer and Green Smith Jr., has won 8 of 22 starts and earned $1,095,232. The Grade 2 Kona Gold was the fifth career stakes win for Wild Dude, a 6-year-old horse by Wildcat Heir. Last year, Wild Dude won two Grade 1 races – the Bing Crosby at Del Mar and the Santa Anita Sprint Championship – before a sixth-place finish in the BC Sprint at Keeneland.

The Kona Gold Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs was Wild Dude’s first win in four starts since the Santa Anita Sprint Championship last October. Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Wild Dude closed from off the pace on the inside to catch pacesetter Subtle Indian in the final furlong.

“We got a little lucky to get the right trip,” Hollendorfer said.

Subtle Indian lost for the first time this year in the Kona Gold, having won four consecutive races at Oaklawn Park from January to mid-April. The 4-year-old gelding could start in the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes at six furlongs at Del Mar on July 30, trainer Robertino Diodoro said.