Wild Dude, dismissed at 11-1 odds by Del Mar bettors, overhauled 2-5 favored Masochistic in the final sixteenth of a mile to score a stunning upset in the featured Grade I $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes Sunday.
With hot-riding Flavien Prat in the saddle, Wild Dude closely trailed Masochistic, who had taken the lead from the pacesetters, turning into the stretch and proved best through the lane to win by a length and one-quarter in 1:09.51 for the six furlongs.
Masochistic, a winner of six of eight lifetime starts and the number two ranked sprinter in America coming into the Bing Crosby Stakes, appeared to be in total command when he surged to the front under Tyler Baze in the upper stretch but he was unable to withstand the determined challenge of Wild Dude.
Kobe’s Back, the 4-1 second choice in the field of five sprinters, swerved at the break and was far back early under Gary Stevens but rallied to be a fast-closing third, a length and one-half behind Masochistic and a length and one-half in front of Caminetto. Distinctiv Passion completed the line-up in fifth. Appealing Tale was scratched after having finished second in Saturday’s San Diego Handicap.
The Bing Crosby Stakes is part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” series with the winner earning a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in late October as well as qualifying for a travel allowance plus the payment of entry fees. Wild Dude is not eligible to the Breeders’ Cup and it would require a payment of a $100,000 fee to allow him to compete.
Wild Dude, a five-year-old son of Wildcat Heir owned by the partnership of trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and Green Smith, Jr., of Bryan, Texas, scored his sixth victory in 16 starts and first money of $180,000 increased his earnings to $724,887. To his backers in a crowd of 13,643 , he paid $24.60, $5.20 and $2.60.
Masochistic, suffering his first defeat after three straight victories, including the Triple Bend at Santa Anita a month ago, returned $2.40 and $2.10. Because of heavy wagering to show on Masochistic, there was a minus pool of $41,688. Kobe’s Back paid $2.40 to show.
In Sunday’s supporting feature, the $150,000 California Dreamin’ Handicap, longshot Weewinnin prevailed by a neck in a blanket finish at the end of the mile and one-sixteenth over the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course. Rock Me Baby, the 8-5 favorite, was second, a nose in front of Poshsky, who was a half-length in advance of fourth-place Aotearoa in the field of nine horses.
Weewinnin, with Joe Talamo in the saddle, ran the distance in 1:41.14 and returned $21.60. First money of $85,500 for the five-year-old horse’s fourth win in eleven starts increased his earnings to $395,480.
For the second straight day, there were no perfect tickets in the Pick Six. Thus, Wednesday’s program will have a carryover of $562,765. Post time for the first of eight races will be 2 p.m.
FLAVIEN PRAT (Wild Dude, winner) – “The last time I rode him (Triple Bend June 27 where he finished third), I let him get a little too far back. This time I was closer and the pace was a better one for us. They were going quickly. When I came around the turn, I knew I had horse, but I could see that other one (favorite Masochistic) out front and I know how well he’s been running. I wasn’t sure if I could catch up to him. But my horse leveled and he went right on by. He’s impressive.”
TYLER BAZE (Masochistic, second) – “He ran well, even though he got beat. It was a good race for him. This track is a little loose and I think that might have affected him. Ron (trainer Ron Ellis) and his crew have done such a good job with him; teaching him to relax and be more professional. He’s a good horse and he’ll be back to fight another day.”
GARY STEVENS (Kobe’s Back, third) – “He wasn’t standing in there (the gate) too well and his left hind leg went out from under him when we broke. Then he ducked in pretty badly on me and we spotted them a bunch. He still ran a heckuva race to finish third. I'm mad. And I think he’s just as mad as me.”
MARTIN GARCIA (Caminetto, fourth) – “The other horses ran faster today.”
EDWIN MALDONADO (Distinctiv Passion, fifth) – “I blame it on the track. He didn’t like the track.”
JERRY HOLLENDORFER (Wild Dude, winner) – (Asked what was the difference between the Triple Bend, third beaten 6 ¼ lengths by Masochistic and today) “Flavien (Prat) knows the horse a little better now. He wants to lay a little closer than he was then. This was a ‘Win And You’re In’ (for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint) and that’s the goal, but it won’t change (campaign scheduling). We wanted to win the Crosby, then look at some other races.”
FRACTIONS: :22.01 :44.73 :56.95 1:09.51
($41,688 was the minus show pool on Masochistic.)
The stakes win was the third of the meet for rider Prat, but his first in the Bing Crosby. The three stakes are his initial ones at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Hollendorfer, as well as his first in the Bing Crosby. This was his 25th stakes win at Del Mar.
Wild Dude is owned by trainer Hollendorfer and Green Smith, Jr. of Bryan, TX.
Wild Dude apparently is not currently eligible to the Breeders’ Cup and would require the payment of a fee of $100,000 to do so. If that fee is paid, he would be eligible for as long as he races and further eligible for fee payments of $30,000 toward entry into the $1.5 Breeders’ Cup Sprint this year at Keeneland in Kentucky.