Setsuko keeping his powder dry for the Santa Anita Handicap
Things are going to get real interesting if the magical gelding he is turning out to be, Game on Dude, snubs a trip to Dubai to participate in the Group 1 $10 million Dubai World Cup on 31 March, 2012, at Meydan, and stays home to defend his title in the
Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap at Santa Anita.
The reason why things will get interesting because there will be revenge on the cards, when the runner up of the race last year, Setsuko decides to go for it once again, and this time try to win the Grade 1 Big ‘Cap.
Richard Mandella trained 5-year-old gelding, Setsuko was sent off at 25 to 1 last year and got brutally nosed out by Game on Dude only to see his hopes of winning the Big ‘Cap in 2011 crash and burn, but this time there is a lot of purpose and will to undo
what went down last year.
“His schedule was a little tight, which is why I wasn’t sure he would make the Big ‘Cap this year, but it worked out fine,” Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella said on the morning of Feb. 5. “Three weeks ago I didn’t think he was quite that fit and then
his works just stepped right up so I said, ‘Let’s go.’"
Things are looking up for Setsuko, and if Game on Dude gets pointed to Santa Anita Handicap on 3 March, 2012, then the race will hold much more significance than it already does.
The Kentucky bred son of Pleasantly Perfect, out of mare Dance with Grace by Mr. Prospector, Setsuko kicked off his 2012 campaign on a winning note, when he downed an allowance/optional claimer at Santa Anita, going over a distance of 1 1/16 miles on dirt
at Santa Anita under jockey V Espinoza on 4 February, 2012.
He defeated Fiddlers Afleet in second and American Blend in third, while covered the 1 1/16 mile distance in 1 minute and 41.05 seconds.
“He ran good yesterday and came out good, so we’ll give it another try,” Mandella said of a return to the Big 'Cap.
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