Mr Dumas continued to show grass is what he wants to race over when registering a 9-1 upset in Saturday’s $175,000 Commonwealth Turf (G3) at Churchill Downs in his stakes debut.
Making just his sixth career start and third on the turf, Mr. Dumas race in mid-pack down the backside, advanced to third approaching the quarter pole, then seized the lead just outside the furlong marker and withstood a late charge from 7-2 favorite Tracksmith to win by a half-length under Joe Rocco Jr. Marquee Prince was 1 1/4 lengths farther back in third.
Owned by Hooties Racing and WSS Racing, Mr. Dumas paid $21.20 after completing 1 1/16 miles on good ground in 1:45.52.
Graduating at Ellis Park over the main track on August 10 in his third start, Mr. Dumas was next tried on the grass at Kentucky Downs in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance, where he impressed trainer John Ortiz with a rallying third.
“I’ve never see a horse kick like he did sprinting after being left at the gate,” Ortiz said. “He made up almost 17 lengths. That’s when we knew to keep him on the turf.”
Mr. Dumas rebounded with a 3 1/4-length, first-level allowance score at Churchill on September 27 going nine furlongs. His record now stands at 6-3-0-3, $211,160.
Bred in Kentucky by Ramspring Farm, Mr. Dumas is by Majesticperfection and out of Ready Love, by More Than Ready. He sold for $100,000 at the OBS April juvenile sale.
