First Dude with Martin Garcia nipped Regal Ransom by a nose at the wire to capture the eighth running of the Grade III Alysheba for 3-year-olds and up Friday at historic Churchill Downs.
Trained by Bob Baffert, First Dude covered the mile and sixtieth main track in 1:42.56 after moving five wide at the top of the stretch as Regal Ransom and Alan Garcia took to the front in a cavalry charge.
"Look at my silks. They're all clean," said Garcia. "I had a perfect trip."
Baffert agreed.
"I thought he got beat, but that big head of his really came through in the end. I thought it was a great race for the horse," he said.
With the win, First Dude took $213,379 of the $358,500 purse and returned $9.20, $5.40 and $4.20 to the betting public. Regal Ransom paid $9.80 and $7.40. Jose Lezcano and Equestrio paid $8.80 to show.