BY BROCK SHERIDAN
OCALA, FL—First Dude, the Florida Stallion of the Year in 2017 and 2018, leading freshman sire in Florida in 2015 and Florida’s leading second crop in 2016, passed away last night at Donald R. Dizney’s Double Diamond Farm in Ocala, Florida. First Dude was 19.
“He was an integral part of not only our own family but all of our Double Diamond Farm family; from Jesse Rodriguez, his groom and stallion manager, to our office staff and the many friends who visited him with peppermints. We all have so many sweet memories of not only his 3-year-old campaign, but of his stallion career as well. We feel today we have lost more than a stallion,” Dizney said.
A special homebred for Dizney and a multiple graded stakes winner for Don and Irene Dizney who earned $1,442,140, First Dude took the last three races of his career in 2011, culminating with a tenacious victory in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at Hollywood Park, defeating Game On Dude and Twirling Candy; and winning the Grade 3 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs.
As a reliable 3-year-old in 2010, he was among the best of his class, finishing second in the Preakness (G1) at Pimlico, just three-quarters of a length off winner Looking at Lucky; and second by a neck in the Pennsylvania Derby (G2) at Philadelphia Park. First Dude was also third in the Belmont Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, Toyota Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland and Izod Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park.
He retired with a consistent record four wins, five seconds and four thirds in 17 lifetime starts, finishing in the money in 75.6% of his races. He was by Stephen Got Even out of the Smart Strike mare Run Sarah Run.
He began stallion duty at Double Diamond Farm in 2012 and remained in service there through the 2026 season, siring 14 crops, 12 of racing age, with progeny earnings of nearly $30 million. From 538 foals of racing age, First Dude has 431 starters (80%) and 302 winners (56%). He was ranked in the top three among Florida’s leading sires with seven of his first nine crops to race (he ranked fourth in both 2016 and 2022) and was ranked in the top 10 as recent as 2024.
Among his top runners were Shamrock Rose, the 2018 Eclipse Award Champion Female Sprinter and winner of that year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs; Grade 2 Inside Information-winner Maryquitecontrary, an earner of $706,147; Skye Diamonds, who scored in the Grade 2 Great Lady M, Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap and Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes and had $690,150 to her credit; Mom’s On Strike, who took the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland and Grade 3 Old Forester Mint Julep at Churchill Downs and earned $594,550; and multiple stakes-winners Flora Dora ($607,152), Ready to Runaway ($564,640) and Charlie’s Wish ($481,659).
Return to Wire to Wire
