Game On Dude, Beholder record final works for Breeders' Cup

Horse of the Year hopeful Game On Dude recorded his final major workout

before the November 2 Breeders' Cup Classic on Tuesday, drilling six furlongs in

a bullet 1:11 2/5 over the fast track at Santa Anita. Martin Garcia was up for

the work, but Mike Smith will take the reins in the $5 million Classic.

Will the third time be the charm for Game On Dude? The six-year-old gelding

finished second in the 2011 Classic at Churchill Downs but wound up a

disappointing seventh as the 7-5 favorite last year, sustaining his lone setback

in eight starts at Santa Anita.

The Bob Baffert-trained son of Awesome Again rebounded nicely from last

year's Classic setback, compiling a perfect mark from five starts while enjoying

a career-best season in 2013, and Game On Dude figures to be a heavy favorite

once again in the 1 1/4-mile Classic. Baffert did make one interesting change in

scheduling, skipping the September 28 Awesome Again after winning it the past

two years.

Game On Dude has thrived with time between starts this year and will enter

the Classic off of a nine-week freshening, capturing the August 25 Pacific

Classic by an 8 1/2-length margin in his final prep race.

Beholder, last year's champion two-year-old filly and one of three major

contenders in the Distaff, posted a sharp work in advance of her engagement next

Friday, motoring seven furlongs in 1:24 2/5 with jockey Gary Stevens.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Beholder is five for six at Santa Anita

including an impressive victory over older rivals in her last start, the Grade 1

Zenyatta on September 28. She has trained forwardly since then, working five

furlongs in a blistering :58 3/5 last week, and the speedy filly will likely be

the one to catch in a deep Distaff field that includes Princess of Sylmar and

Royal Delta.

Baffert sent out a few other Breeders' Cup prospects on Tuesday.

Tap It Rich, who figures to be well-supported in the Juvenile following an

impressive 4 1/4-length debut win on October 12, worked a half-mile in :47 4/5.

Grade 1 winners Book Review and Executiveprivilege, both candidates for the

Filly & Mare Sprint,  went five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 and 1:00 2/5,

respectively.

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