Solitude Dude Seeks to Separate Himself in Saturday’s Swale

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Chris Fountoukis’ Solitude Dude, who has finished all by himself in his first two career starts, will seek to separate himself from his competition once again in Saturday’s $175,000 Swale at Gulfstream Park.

The son of Yaupon, who has won his two races by a combined 17 ½ lengths, has been installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite for the seven-furlong sprint on a program with five stakes for 3-year-olds, headlined by the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3), a key prep for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 28 at Gulfstream.

“He’s been winning impressively and gives you confidence that he’s a good horse, but he’s got to tell us distance-wise what he’s going to do,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said.

Solitude Dude rolled to a 9 ½-length front-running victory at 6 ½ furlongs in his Nov. 1 debut at Gulfstream before running away with the six-furlong Inaugural Dec. 6 at Tampa Bay Downs by eight lengths.

“He’s got a good mind on him that will help him get further. This is a good spot for him to step up in class,” Joseph said. “He’s been training well.”

How Solitude Dude performs in the Swale may well have an impact on whether Joseph will decide to try him at two turns in the near future.

“I don’t know how far he can stretch out. By Yaupon, you’re obviously going to question it,” Joseph said. “But he’s out of an Into Mischief mare, and they can do anything.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Solitude Dude for the first time in the Swale.

Joseph also entered C2 Racing Stable LLC, JRM Stables LLC, Mathis Stables LLC and Ken Reimer’s Hammond for the Swale. The son of Charlton followed up a fifth-place debut finish with back-to-back victories to conclude his 2-year-old campaign. He captured a six-furlong maiden special weight by 2 ½ lengths Sept. 9 at Gulfstream, where he returned to score by two lengths in the 6 ½-furlong Juvenile Sprint Nov. 22.

“Hammond won well last time here. He won a stake, but he’s got to improve from a figure standpoint, Joseph said. “He’s training well. He could improve.”

Edgard Zayas has the return mount on Hammond, who is rated at 8-1 on the morning line.

Joseph also entered Steven Friedfertig and Shining Stables LLC’s Langvad, who finished a distant third behind Solitude Dude in the Inaugural at Tampa Bay last time out.

Tyler Gaffalione has the call on Langvad.

Green with MV Stable’s Diciassette will cut back to one turn for the Swale after incurring his first loss in his two-turn debut at Keeneland last October in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Futurity (G1), won by Ted Noffey, the undefeated 2025 Eclipse Award-winning juvenile.

“We sent him to the farm for a good rest after the race in Kentucky to prepare for the spring,” trainer Patrick Biancone said. “This is his first race of the year. He’s training well, but definitely not 200-percent fit, but he’s fit enough to give a good account of himself.”

Diciassette, rated third at 4-1 on the morning line, launched his career with back-to-back victories at Gulfstream in a five-furlong maiden special weight July 20 and the six-furlong Proud Man Stakes Aug. 9. The son of Mitole made a mild rally into contention on the turn into the homestretch before flattening out in the stretch run of the Breeders’ Futurity, in which he finished 11 ¾ lengths behind Ted Noffey.

“He cannot stay a mile and a sixteenth. He’s a one-turn horse, not a two-turn horse,” Biancone said.

Junior Alvarado, who won four races, including three stakes, on last Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup program, will ride Diciassette for the first time in the Swale.

WinStar Farm LLC, First Go Racing LLC and CHC, Inc’s Class President is slated to make his stakes debut in the Swale after winning at first asking Dec. 27 at Gulfstream. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher saddled the son of Uncle Mo for a rallying 3 ¼-length score in a one-turn mile maiden special weight.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez has the mount on Class President, who is rated second at 5-2 on the morning line.

Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables LLC, trainer George Weaver, Steve Adkisson, Ryan Scott and Scott Rice’s Epic Summer will seek to rebound from a sixth-place finish in the one-turn mile Mucho Macho Man Jan. 3 at Gulfstream. The gelded son of Vekoma had previously defeated Saturday’s Holy Bull favorite Nearly in his wake while sailing to a 3 ¼-length debut victory at 6 ½ furlongs Oct. 26 at Aqueduct.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will the mount on Epic Summer (5-1 ML).