Dudes The Man, one of the top three-year-old pacers in 2015 whose health issues limited him to just nine starts in 2016, returned to the racetrack on Friday morning with a winning qualifying effort at Vernon Downs. With Chris Lems driving for trainers Jessica and Howard Okusko, Dudes The Man led gate to wire in 1:50.3, closing out his mile with a final quarter of :26.3.

"He was really good," Howard Okusko told harnessracing.com shortly after the qualifier. "I had trained him a couple of times in 1:52 with halves in :55 so I knew he'd be good."

Despite racing against the likes of U.S. Horse of the Year Wiggle It Jiggleit in 2015, Dudes The Man banked more than $715,000 for owners M And L of Delaware and Victoria Dickinson. The son of American Ideal won the $400,000 Adios in a lifetime-best 1:48.4, and he picked up big cheques with second-place finishes in the Meadowlands Pace and Messenger, and third-place outings in the Battle of the Brandywine and the Cane.

Dudes The Man won his first start last year as a four-year-old, but then never found the winner's circle in eight subsequent starts. His last appearance came on Aug. 6 at Vernon Downs, which then resulted in a trip to veterinarians at Cornell University, according to Okusko.

"They discovered he was bleeding deep into his lungs, which couldn't be picked up with a regular scope," said Okusko. "The four-year-old year is a tough year. He won in 1:49.4 and was going in 1:49, but he couldn't come home the way he should have. I think he is back on track now."

(with files from harnessracing.com)