US: Game On For Baffert In Gold Cup

Friday, 6 July 2012: Game on Dude will seek the third G1 victory of his career in the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

The 73rd running of the Gold Cup has drawn a field of seven with training great Bob Baffert chasing his fourth win with Game On Dude stablemate Richard's Kid.

Game On Dude enters the race off a dominating 7.25 lengths romp in the G2 Californian Stakes at Hollywood Park on June 2 in his first race since he finished 12th in the G1 Dubai World Cup in March.

Prior to the Dubai World Cup, Game On Dude won the G2 San Antonio Stakes on February 5.

The dark bay will again be ridden by Chantal Sutherland, who has been aboard for his past seven races including a nose second in the Hollywood Gold Cup last year.

Baffert has won the Gold Cup victories with Real Quiet, Congaree and First Dude.

Richard's Kid also visited the Dubai World Cup Carnival, finishing fifth in the G1 Maktoum Challenge (Round 3) and fourth in the G2 Godolphin Mile.

He made a successful return to the US in the Prove It Stakes on June 8 by 7.25 lengths and looms as a threat to his high profile stablemate.

The Prove It Stakes was his first win since taking the G1 Goodwood Stakes in 2010 when he also won the G1 Pacific Classic and ran third in the Hollywood Gold Cup.

He will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano.

Kettle Corn will be lining up after his second to Game On Dude in the Californian in his last start.

He was also third in the G2 Mervyn Leroy Handicap to start the year and won the G3 Native Diver Handicap in December.

The Gold Cup field also features Love Theway Youare, upset winner of the G1 Vanity Handicap on June 16. A mare hasn't won the Gold Cup since Princessnesian in 1968.

Completing the Gold Cup field are G1 winner Anthony's Cross, dual stakes winner Thirtyfirststreet, and G3-placed Spud Spivens.