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Game On Dude, Mythical Power return in winning style GAME ON DUDE (Awesome Again), idle since finishing fourth to Drosselmeyer (Distorted Humor) in the Belmont S. (G1) last June, returned to action at Santa Anita on Thursday with a sparkling victory as trainer Bob Baffert continued what seems to be a daily relationship with the winner's circle. Earlier on the card, MYTHICAL POWER (Congaree), last of seven in the October 10 Kelso H. (G2), roared to a 1 3/4-length score to start the trainer's double on the day. Guided by Rafael Bejarano, Mythical Power came flying home in the 4TH race, a $63,400 allowance/optional claimer at seven furlongs, in a final time of 1:20. Game On Dude captured the 7TH race, a $60,154 allowance/optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles, by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:40 3/5 to give Baffert and Bejarano a sweep of the day's co-features. The pair of victories gave Baffert a total of 21 on the meet's 21st day and left him with a giant head start on a pace that would wipe out Doug O'Neill's Santa Anita meet record of 56 victories that was set in 2006-07 during a meet that encompassed 85 days. Baffert is working within 76-day parameters this season. His winning percentage at the 2010-11 meet is just a shade under 44 percent, a figure seemingly unattainable, even by Baffert's lofty standards. Game On Dude, who earned his place in the Belmont with a 4 1/2-length triumph in the Lone Star Derby (G3) one month before, went to the sidelines following his effort in the third leg of the Triple Crown. "He did something to a hind ankle, so I had to stop on him," Baffert explained. The four-year-old gelding returned impressively on Thursday as Bejarano brought him from behind to win going away. "He broke a little slow," Santa Anita's leading rider said. "I let him get comfortable, and he was really good. He ran really strong." "He had been working really well," Baffert remarked. "We've always been really high on him. This was a stepping stone. Today's race was what we were looking for." Following Thursday's win, Game On Dude sports a career record of 7-3-1-0, $252,658. The five-year-old Mythical Power earlier dispatched stablemate Red Door Drive (Sky Mesa), with Grade 2 hero Noble Court (Doneraile Court) another 1 1/4 lengths back in third. The result meant redemption for Mythical Power, who had run second in Saratoga's Woodward S. (G1) on September 4 prior to a last-place run, beaten 28 1/2 lengths, in Belmont Park's Kelso . Thursday's rebound by the winner of the 2010 Texas Mile (G3) and 2009 Lone Star Derby provided Baffert with confidence enough to continue preparing Mythical Power for the Santa Anita H. (G1) on March 5. "I'm trying to get him ready for the Big 'Cap," Baffert had commented prior to the race, and the Peachtree Stable homebred appeared to take a long stride in that direction on Thursday. It was the fourth win in 15 starts for Mythical Power, who has proven to be a solid earner. His lifetime mark now stands at 15-4-3-1, $794,840.
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