Wild Dude Stuns Masochistic in Bing Crosby
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Wild Dude played the role of upsetter in the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (gr. I) at Del Mar July 26, wearing down heavy favorite Masochistic late to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
Masochistic, off at 2-5, got first run at the leaders after tracking in third through most of the six-furlong sprint, and took command at the top of the stretch, but jockey Flavien Prat bided his time aboard Wild Dude and surged past the favorite in the final sixteenth to score at odds of 11-1.
The victory was the first grade I win for the 5-year-old son of Wildcat Heir , who was third, 6 1/4-lengths behind Masochistic, in the Triple Bend Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park last time out June 27. The win also earned him a spot in the gate for the $1.5 million Breeder's Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Keeneland in the October through the "Win & You're In" series.
"We were very pleased with the way he ran today," trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. "It's his first grade I (and) a 'Win & You're In' race, so hopefully at the end of the year, we'll be able to do something."
The winner hit the wire at 1:09.51 on a fast track, after Distinctiv Passion set fractions of :22.01 and :44.73 through a half-mile, with Caminetto just off the lead. Wild Dude sat in fourth early, as many as six lengths behind the leaders.
Masochistic put away the two leaders easily exiting the turn, but traveled three wide to do so, while Wild Dude still had 2 1/2 lengths to make up in fourth place.
"I thought Prat, having ridden him before, would ride him a little better today," Hollendorfer said. "He had the same idea as I did, to try to put him a little bit closer (to the leaders) early. We were getting back there, but once the horse started his run, you could tell he was at least going to have a chance to run down the front-runners."
Wild Dude, owned by Hollendorfer and Green Smith, paid $24.60, $5.20, and $2.60 across the board. Masochistic brought $2.40 and $2.10, while third-place finisher Kobe's Back brought $2.40 to show.
Kobe's Back broke poorly at the start and lagged 13 lengths behind the leaders early, but closed quickly late to secure third.
Caminetto and Distinctiv Passion faded to finish fourth and fifth, respectively, to complete the order of finish. Appealing Tale, who finished second in the San Diego Handicap (gr. II) a day before the Bing Crosby, was scratched.
Bred in Florida by Versatile Thoroughbreds, Wild Dude is out of the Doneraile Court mare Courtly Choice. He now has $724,887 in earnings and 6-3-4 record from 16 starts after the Bing Crosby score, his third graded victory. Wild Dude also won the March 7 San Carlos Stakes (gr. II) and the 2014 Palos Verdes Stakes (gr. II).