Game on Dude with a poor draw, and a surface he has never run on, still looks ominous in the Dubai World Cup
Bob Baffert is back yet again, but this time he has the 3 to 1 choice,
Game on Dude, by his side, and by the looks of it second placed Breeders’ Cup runner last year has a strong case of winning today’s race. But the gelding will have to face a huge hurdle from the word go, as he gets the outside post number 14. If he
comes around it and breaks swiftly, than we have a great race in our hands.
Game on Dude prefers dirt, as the ultra competitive gelding has raced over the surface his entire career. He is exiting a victory in his seasonal debut in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at about 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita Park’s dirt course on 5 February,
2012, when he defeated the likes of Uh Oh Bango in second and Victory Pete in third, while covering the 1 1/8 miles distance in 1 minute and 46.88 seconds.
Now there is another hindrance between Game on Dude and the winner’s circle at Meydan, and that is the surface, and after 14th post position, the Kentucky bred son of Awesome Again will have his work cut out when he goes out of those much smaller
Meydan gates compare to American gates.
Game on Dude did balk when he was schooling couple of days back, because the gelding is not used to getting out of small gates.
Over the World Cup Distance, Game on Dude has competed thrice in his career. Winning over the same distance in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap last year, finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic, and then finished second to Drosselmeyer in the Grade
1 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Game on Dude can compete over this distance, and there is no doubt if he gets himself in a good position, he can certainly go for his front running position.
The Meydan isn’t an ideal place for a front runner, who have just speed to offer, but jockey Sutherland will have to do a Breeder’ Cup Classic to keep the runner’s at bay just like he did to Drosselmeyer, but failed on that occasion.
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