Game on Dude runs away brilliantly in Big 'Cap

Game On Dude turned in a tour-de-force performance in Saturday's $751,000

Santa

Anita Handicap, winning the 76th edition of the prestigious Grade 1 event by

a record 7 3/4-length margin. The classy Bob Baffert-trained gelding seized

control at the start of the 1 1/4-mile event and never appeared to take a deep

breath the entire way while sailing along uncontested with Mike Smith.

Winner of the 2011 Big 'Cap, Game On Dude has never been better than he was

on Saturday. He broke running from post 8 and angled straight to the rail while

clearing the opposition into the first turn, completing the opening quarter-mile

in :23 3/5 with a 1 1/2-length cushion. The dark bay six-year-old widened the

edge while striding effortlessly into the backstretch and set the next two

splits, a half-mile in :47 and three-quarters in 1:10 4/5, on about a

three-length advantage.

Game On Dude continued to open up rounding the far turn while not being asked

by Smith, a Hall of Fame jockey who was seemingly just along for the ride. His

mount passed the mile mark in 1:35 1/5 with a commanding five-length lead and

Game On Dude continued to draw away through the final final furlongs in a

scintillating display of superiority, finishing up in a very respectable 2:00.

His winning margin surpassed the previous mark held by Bobby Brocato, who won

the 1956 Big 'Cap by six lengths, and Game On Dude returned $4.60, $3.40 and

$2.10 to his supporters as the overwhelming 6-5 favorite.

Clubhouse Ride, who raced in third during the early stages and advanced to

second on the far turn, outran his 27-1 odds to gamely hold second,

out-finishing 4-1 third choice Called to Serve by a nose. It was another 1 1/2

lengths back to 5-2 second choice Ron the Greek, a convincing winner of last

year's Big 'Cap, in fourth. Next under the wire came Guilt Trip, Richard's Kid,

Handsome Mike, Deacon Speakin' and Stephanoatsee. John Scott was scratched.

Owned in partnership by Diamond Pride, Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable

and Bernie Schiappi, Game on Dude posted his first stakes win in the Grade 3

Lone Star Derby in 2010 but made only one more start at three, finishing fourth

in the Belmont Stakes.

He came back to the races in 2011 with an

allowance/optional claiming win and then recorded a 14-1 nose upset in the Big

'Cap, surviving a lengthy inquiry following a roughly-run stretch drive. He went

on to place in three more graded stakes races before returning to the winner's

circle that fall in the Grade 1 Goodwood, and Game On Dude concluded his

four-year-old season with a good second to Drosselmeyer in the Breeders' Cup

Classic.

After beginning last year with an easy score in the Grade 2 San Antonio, Game

On Dude shipped to Dubai but never fired over the Tapeta track, checking in 12th

in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup. He quickly rebounded when returning to action in

the Grade 2 Californian at Hollywood Park last June, winning by a 7 1/4-length

margin, and followed that with another easy tally in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold

Cup.

Following a narrow second to Dullahan in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on

Polytrack, he prepped for the Breeders' Cup Classic with a dominant 3 1/4-length

triumph in the Goodwood. However, the 6-5 favorite failed to show his customary

early speed and was never a factor in the $5 million event, sustaining his first

setback at Santa Anita in his sixth attempt over the oval with a well-beaten

seventh.

His Breeders' Cup Classic effort last November has proved to be a complete

aberration. Game On Dude came back four weeks later to comfortably win the Grade

3 Native Diver at Hollywood Park and toyed with his rivals when opening 2013 in

the February 3 San Antonio, rolling to a 6 1/2-length victory. With Saturday's

$450,000 paycheck, the outstanding son of Awesome Again has now earned $3,702,158 from a

24-12-5-1 career record.

Bred in Kentucky by Adena Springs, Game On Dude was produced by the

stakes-winning Worldly Pleasure, a daughter of Devil His Due.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com