Dude N Colorado Earns First Stakes Victory in Colonel Liam

Grade III placed Dude N Colorado (3c Uncle Mo x Limonar, by Street Cry) became a stakes winner on Saturday with a victory in the Listed Colonel Liam Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Racing a mile on the turf, Dude N Colorado raced a length behind the pacesetting Bluebirds Over until the field hit the turn. That rival gave the colt a brief battle but by the top of the stretch Dude N Colorado had a narrow lead.

The longtime pacemaker faded to fifth from there but there were multiple other horses gunning for the lead. Dude N Colorado refused to give in and won by half a length as the race favorite to take his record to two wins and two thirds in four career starts.

Bred by St Elias Stables, Dude N Colorado is trained by Todd Pletcher for Three Diamonds Farm.

“This colt is super consistent,” Pletcher said. “We felt like from the outside post we could see how things unfolded. He has good tactical speed. He got in good position and finished up nicely. The [Grade III] Transylvania is on the radar. We talked about that a little before the race, but we’ll keep our options open.”

The colt is one of three stakes winners out of the stakes winning Limonar alongside multiple Grade II winner and Grade I placed Spanish Mission and stakes winner and Grade II placed Mokarris. Limonar herself is a half-sister to the Grade I winning Talco with classic winners Bachelor Duke and Sonnyboyliston under Dude N Colorado’s third dam.

Uncle Mo’s six stakes winners in 2023 is second best among all North American sires with the stallion having nearly 80 less runners than the leading Into Mischief with only two less stakes winners. Among Uncle Mo’s six stakes winners are two graded stakes winners.