First Dude retired with leg injury

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Del Mar, CA (Sports Network) - First Dude, recent winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup, has been retired with a tendon strain. Trainer Bob Baffert made the announcement Monday at Del Mar Race Course.

Owned by Donald Dizney, First Dude won the Gold Cup by a nose over another Baffert four-year-old, Game On Dude. First Dude remained at Hollywood Park after Game On Dude and the rest of Baffert's stable had been moved to Del Mar.

This year the colt won three of five starts, including the Alysheba at Churchill Downs on May 6. He began the year with a third-place finish in the Sunshine Millions Classic in January as the 9-10 favorite. The four-year-old followed with a sixth-place result in the Santa Anita Handicap behind Game On Dude.

Trained by Dale Romans as a three-year-old, First Dude was third in the Blue Grass Stakes and second in the Preakness. He then posted consecutive third- place finishes in the Belmont Stakes, Haskell and Travers. In September he was second to Morning Line in the Pennsylvania Derby and closed his 2010 campaign by finishing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Classic to Blame.

First Dude earned $1,442,140 with only four wins in 17 career starts.