Major Dude, Cairo Consort Victorious on Gulfstream Turf

In the reverse of his prior start, where he was unable to find running room until too late, Spendthrift Farm's Major Dude  got an ideal trip under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and powered through the stretch to overtake pacesetting stablemate Dude N Colorado  and capture the $175,000 Kitten's Joy Stakes (G3T) Feb. 4 at Gulfstream Park.

The 1 1/16-mile Kitten's Joy was the second of five graded stakes for 3-year-olds and the first of two on the grass preceding the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3), the next step on Gulfstream's road to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) April 1.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Major Dude settled in fourth while Dude N Colorado, exiting a front-running maiden triumph Dec. 24 on the Tapeta at Gulfstream, raced through a quarter-mile in :23.09 a half in :47.24, pressed by Boppy O . Six furlongs went in 1:10.88 with the leaders unchanged, but Ortiz able to tip Major Dude outside and in position for a clear run down the lane, getting up inside the eighth pole and drawing clear.

"I had a perfect trip," said Ortiz. "I broke good. I took a little hold, following some nice horses, saving ground the whole way. He did the rest."

Favored Major Dude ($4.80) finished 1 1/2 lengths in front in a final time of 1:40.22.

Candidate , unbeaten in three previous turf starts, including the Jan. 7 Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream over Major Dude, got up to be second ahead of Dude N Colorado. They were followed by Boppy O, Souzak , Congruent , Lights of Broadway , and Moon Cat .

Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro  ), made his first three starts on dirt last summer, running third in the Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park. He won the Pilgrim Stakes (G2T) at Aqueduct Racetrack in his turf debut and has remained on grass since, finishing ninth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) and second in the Dania Beach Stakes.

Pletcher suggested Major Dude could change surfaces this year.

"He's a super nice colt, very consistent," he said. "I'll talk to the guys at Spendthrift. We're kicking around the idea of putting him on the dirt at some point. We'll see when that opportunity comes up."

Bred in Kentucky by Clearsky Farm, Major Dude is out of the stakes-placed Distorted Humor  mare Mary Rita , a producer of five foals, four to race, and two winners. Major Dude was a $550,000 purchase by his owner from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment to The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in 2021.

Cairo Consort Gives Pletcher Stakes Double

Town and Country Racing and Repole Stable’s Cairo Consort , whose flat-footed start spotted her rivals several lengths at the break, came with a dramatic late run through the stretch to catch long shot stablemate Alpha Bella  at the shadow of the wire to capture the $175,000 Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park.

Cairo Consort gave Pletcher his fourth win of the day and second in a stakes, while Ortiz piloted both stakes winners.

Winner of the one-mile Ginger Brew Stakes Jan. 7 at Gulfstream in the first start for her new connections, Cairo Consort had her head turned to the right when the starting gates opened, and she hesitated to come out, then settled in behind her eight rivals as Sweetlou'sgotaces  and Malleymoo  raced through splits of :22.75, :47.11 and 1:11.66.

Alpha Bella saved ground early before being swung outside on the turn to take on the leaders. She found herself in front passing the eighth pole but Cairo Consort was in full flight down the center of the stretch and rolled past to a three-quarters of a length victory.

Heavenly Sunday  completed the trifecta.

Cairo Consort ($6.40) raced the 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf course in 1:40.95.

“At the start I didn’t give her much chance to recover; she broke so poorly behind the field," Pletcher said. "But I’ll tell you, she came with a really big late run.

“I thought for a moment (stablemate Alpha Bella) was going to save the day, and then all of a sudden Cairo Consort kind of came out of nowhere. A very good effort by both fillies.”

Cairo Consort, previously trained by Nathan Squires, won the Catch a Glimpse Stakes in her stakes debut and was second in the Natalma Stakes (G1T) last summer, both on the Woodbine turf, before finishing third at odds of 19-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T). Following that effort, she fetched $875,000 at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton’s marquee breeding stock sale in Lexington, and joined Pletcher's stable.

The 3-year-old daughter of Cairo Prince   was bred in Kentucky by Frankfort Park Farm and is the third foal from the Street Cry mare Absolutely Awesome . She is the first stakes winner produced by Absolutely Awesome, whose three starters have all been winners.