Solitude Dude wins the inaugural stakes

Solitude Dude wins easily at Tampa Bay Downs, courtesy of Ben Baugh

Ben Baugh

OLDSMAR, FL – It was a day for favorites in the Youth Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on December 6 the 40^e run of the six furlong Inaugural for 2-year-old colts and geldings and the 48^e Running the six furlong Sandpiper Stakes for young fillies, with both winners making it look easy.

In the second race of the day, running the $125,000 Inaugural Stakes, a dark bay son of Yaupon won in daylight, toying with the competition as Chris Fountoukis’ Loneliness dudethe 1-9 favourite, separated himself from the competition by winning by eight lengths. The 2025 OBS June 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age sales diploma, which was purchased by Solitude Dude’s conditioner Saffie Joseph, Jr., for $300,000, was ridden to victory by jockey Edgard Zayas.

“I thought he was a very stylish horse,” Zayas said. “He has a lot of ability and he showed up today.”

The change in environment from Gulfstream Park to Tampa Bay Downs didn’t seem to bother Solitude Dude, who made his way to the track seamlessly. Solitude Dude set a new record during the Inaugural, completing the distance in 1:09.07.

“I love Tampa, I enjoy the crowd here, I enjoy the course, the grass is great,” Zayas said. ‘There is nothing better than going with my husband Saffie. We have been very lucky together, very successful.”

Solitude Dude broke his maiden at the first question in his first bow at 6 ½ furlongs at Gulfstream Park on Nov. 1, and won with authority, by 9 1/2 lengths.

Solitude Dude came into the race from work at the Palm Meadows Training Center on November 28, winding the fastest of the 35 runners in the half-mile distance that day, clocking a 46.75. The Yaupon colt was the first foal of the Into Mischief broodmare After the Party. Solitude Dude’s second dam, Defy Gravity, won the Small Halo Stakes at Laurel Park. Defy Gravity is the mother of stakes winner Green Destiny.

Could a start in the Run for the Roses be in the offing? It may be premature to have these kinds of thoughts. However, under Solitude Dude’s fourth dam, Supercharger, she is a full sister to 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Girolamo.

Sneaky Good is Stealthy Excellent at winning the Sandpiper

There was no hiding in the shadows for NK Racing’s and LNJ Foxwoods’ Secretly good when the Into Mischief filly was dismissed as the racing favorite in the $125,000 Sandpiper Stakes. The 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sales graduate, who sold for $450,000, did not disappoint as she won by 2 ¾ lengths under the confident performance of Antonio Gallardo. Brad Cox determines the winner. Her score in the Sandpiper followed an impressive maiden special weight win at Keenland by 4 ¾ lengths on Oct. 5 at the same distance.

“She’s a nice filly, she showed up the first time she won, and today she showed up again,” Gallardo said. “I had a good post. I had the outside post (Sneaky Good broke out of the 10-hole). There was a lot of speed on the inside. All I had to do was get in a good position and make my move, and she gave it to me.”

Sneaky Good’s dam Gale won the Geisha Stakes at Laurel and her second dam Windy Forecast won the Pleasanton Oaks. The filly’s third mother, Scapegoat, is a half-sister to stakes winners Highland Park and All About Style.