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ARCADIA, Calif. - Game On Dude will not defend his title in Saturday’s $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap and will make his next start in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31, trainer Bob Baffert said on Wednesday.
“He’s not running,” Baffert said. “He’s going to Dubai.”
Baffert said he may not have a runner in the Big Cap, a race he has won the last two years. Prayer for Relief, a three-time graded stakes winner last year, may also pass the race, he said. Baffert had until later on Wednesday morning to decide whether Prayer for Relief will start.
The post position draw for the Big Cap is being held on Wednesday morning.
Without the Baffert duo, the Big Cap field is expected to include 11 starters. Ultimate Eagle, the winner of the Grade 2 Strub Stakes on Feb. 4, inherits the role of favorite from Game On Dude in the race over 1 1/4 miles. He will probably be opposed by Boxeur des Rues, Fiddlers Afleet, Gladding, Holladay Road, Ron the Greek, Setsuko, Thirtyfirststreet, Twice the Appeal, Uh Oh Bango, and Victory Pete.
thirtyfirststreet and uh oh bango should run really well....twice the appeal might just run on and AWAY as well...
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Not only is Baffert killing it for Santa Anita Park and the fans, but he's also a coward. He knows he'd lose to either Ultimate Eagle or Setsuko which would dredge up the circumstances of his far-from-authoritative win last year. And when he loses in Dubai, get ready to hear the synthetic surface excuses.
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Thanks, Bob. Appreciate your regard for horse racing fans in America.
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I can’t believe the perceived lack of durability in today’s race horse. Do you really mean to tell me that horse cannot run in this Saturday March 3rd Santa Anita Derby and then run 4 full weeks later in the Dubai World Cup?! A one month rest is not enough? Are you kidding me? A race of a mile and one quarter is 2 minutes of exertion.
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I can’t believe the perceived lack of durability in today’s race horse. Do you really mean to tell me that horse cannot run in this Saturday March 3rd Santa Anita Derby and then run 4 full weeks later in the Dubai World Cup?! A one month rest is not enough? Are you kidding me? A race of a mile and one quarter is 2 minutes of exertion.
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Since he joined Baffert he has only won at Santa Anita and nowhere else. Now he will take him across the world in search of the money. When a trainer is not sure what to do it never works out. Game On Dude has no shot in Dubai.
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Really disappointing for fans out here in California. But no surprise given Baffert had not fully committed earlier.
Funny how Baffert has criticized synthetics but now he's shipping a "dirt horse" around the world to run on synth. It's not about surface, it's all about money. It's always about the money.
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Best Bets
RED SHOT came up empty in the drive after a stalking trip in his first start back from a long layoff in a tough $25K seller last Friday. Treat that effort as a workout, and give him a shot to redeem himself in this much easier $8K dash under Stein, who was aboard for both of his '13 scores. CROWNS DYNASTY wasn't up to snuff during the winter on the dirt at Calder and Gulfstream, after being claimed from a victory on the Poly here Dec. 13. His wide draw is a negative, but his fitness edge on most of these could propel him into a top-three placing.
