Wudda U Think Now after his Alex M. Robb triumph (Joe Labozzetta)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— The Elkstone Group’s Wudda U Think Now garnered an 84 Beyer Speed Figure for his victory in Saturday’s one-mile $100,000 Alex M. Robb against fellow state-breds for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. The 5-year-old son of Fast Anna made his first start beyond the sprint distance since March 2021 under the guidance of Dylan Davis and answered the challenge with aplomb, sprinting clear down the stretch to win by 3 1/4 lengths.
“He walked good this morning and he’s proud of himself,” said Rodriguez. “So far, so good. He’s a nice horse to be around for sure. I don’t think he was comfortable going the mile, but he got the job done, thank God.”
The Alex M. Robb was the third stakes victory for Wudda U Think Now, who took the Hollies Hughes in February at the Big A and the John Morrissey in August at Saratoga Race Course, both of which were at sprint distances in state-bred company. Rodriguez said Wudda U Think Now, who has now earned more than $500,000 in total purses, will look to return to sprinting in the $100,000 state-bred Say Florida Sandy going seven furlongs on January 8 at Aqueduct.
“We’ll go to the next race coming up at the beginning of the year at seven-eighths,” said Rodriguez. “Seven [furlongs] is very good. He looks happy this morning and that’s all we can ask for.”
Davis piloted Wudda U Think Now for the first time Saturday after getting a leg up on the classy gelding for his last breeze before the Alex M. Robb. Rodriguez said he was pleased with the ride Davis engineered and would like to have him back aboard in the Say Florida Sandy.
“He worked him a couple times and liked him, so I got together with his agent and everything worked out the way we planned,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez will hope to celebrate more stakes success next week on the Grade 1 stage with Hot Peppers in the $300,000 La Brea on December 26 at Santa Anita Park. The sophomore daughter of Khozan notched her first graded stakes victory this July at Belmont Park in the Grade 3 Victory Ride on the heels of her first stakes score in the Jersey Girl in June. She earned a Grade 1 placing when a game runner-up in the Longines Test in August at Saratoga and was last seen finishing a retreating fourth in the Grade 2 Prioress over the same oval.
“She seems good. We jogged her yesterday, we’ll jog her again today, and then gallop her tomorrow,” said Rodriguez. “They say she’s getting over the track good. Until you run, you never know. But she’s there and she’s eating good, so that’s a plus.”
