Jul 05, 2013
Game On Dude set to defend Hollywood Gold Cup
By: SPORTS NETWORK
Inglewood, CA (Sports Network) - Defending race winner Game On Dude will take on four challengers in Saturday's $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at Hollywood Park. The 6-year-old gelding will attempt to become just the third horse to win the 1 1/4-mile handicap more than once. The Gold Cup is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race giving the winner a guaranteed spot in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 2 at Santa Anita. Game On Dude can join Native Diver and Lava Man as the only horses to win the Gold Cup more than once. Native Diver (1965-1967) and Lava Man (2005-2007) were each three-time winners. Trained by Bob Baffert, Game On Dude will start his third Gold Cup from post 2 with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith again riding. The gelding is owned by a partnership that includes Joe Torre's Diamond Pride Stable. The 6-year-old is coming off a hard fought victory in April in the Charles Town Classic. Game On Dude successfully defended his title in the San Antonio Stakes to begin his 2013 season and notched his second career victory in the Santa Anita Handicap. In 25 career starts, the gelding has won 13 times and banked $4,702,158. Three of his wins have come in four starts at Hollywood Park. His only loss at the track was a second two years ago to stablemate First Dude in the Gold Cup. Baffert has won the Gold Cup four times with Congaree (2003) and Real Quiet (1999) along with First Dude (2011) and Game On Dude. Breaking from the rail will be Santa Anita Handicap runner-up Clubhouse Ride. Trained by Craig Lewis, the 5-year-old chestnut horse will have the services of Joe Talamo as rider. Clubhouse Ride, owned by Six-S Racing Stable and Nikolas Petralia, won the Californian at Hollywood Park on June 1. The horse was also second to Game On Dude this year in the San Antonio and Charles Town Classic. The 5-year-old comes into the Gold Cup with career earnings of $959,620 in 28 starts and four wins. Here is the field for the 74th Hollywood Gold Cup: Clubhouse Ride, Joe Talamo; Game On Dude, Mike Smith; Oilisblackgold, Edwin Maldonado; Kettle Corn, Rafael Bejarano and Sky Kingdom, Martin Garcia. The Gold Cup will go off at approximately 8 p.m. (ET).
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