Wild Dude Runs Wild in Palos Verdes

Just when it looked like Wild Dude wasn’t going to find the room to get a clear run at the leaders, just enough space opened up for jockey Rafael Bejarano to get his horse to the outside and score an upset win at the wire Sunday in the Grade II Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita. A six-furlong sprint for four-year-olds and up on the dirt, the Palos Verdes featured a match up between Secret Circle, winner of the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Sprint title on the very same track in November, and Sahara Sky, already a Grade I winner.

Favorite sustains quick early fractions

Breaking from the gate, Secret Circle (1-2) showed instant early speed and moved to the front to engage in a duel with Moonshine Bay (16-1), zipping through the first quarter in 21. 95 and the half in 44.27. Wild Dude, meanwhile, was content to sit four off the pace through the opening half-mile, but began to pick it up mid-way on the turn. Turning for home, it was still Moonshine Bay with a slim lead, with Wild Dude closing three wide, and Majestic Stride (8-1) to his outside. At the sixteenth-pole, it looked like Wild Dude was going to run out of track, but Bejarano picked his spot and went.

First stakes win for Wild Dude

Wild Dude (9-1) showed a quick turn of foot, making up a lost half-length and finding just enough to get to Secret Circle at the wire, with Moonshine Bay hanging on for third over Majestic Stride, while Sahara Sky ran a disappointing last throughout the race. For the Florida-bred Wild Dude, the win was his third in a row, but first at the stakes level in his very first stakes attempt. He’s now finished in the money in seven of eight lifetime, with four wins. For his part, Secret Circle continues a streak of never being worse than second in 10 lifetime.