US: Gold Cup History For Chantal Sutherland

Monday, 9 July 2012: Chantal Sutherland became the first female jockey to win the G1 Hollywood Gold Cup on Saturday in its 73rd running for trainer Bob Baffert aboard the favourite Game On Dude.

Baffert finished first and second in the $500,0000 feature for the second year in a row with Game On Dude, the 2-5 favorite, making for a nose loss to First Dude in last year's renewal of Hollywood's signature race.

Sutherland was the first female jockey to ride in the Gold Cup last year aboard Game On Dude.
His victory makes him the early favorite for this year's Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on November 3.

Game On Dude won by 1.5 lengths from stablemater Richard's Kid, who made a big move at the winner on the far turn.

Asked about becoming the first woman to ride a Gold Cup winner. Sutherland said, "It's exciting, I feel really honored. It's pretty cool. I hope I'm one of many more to come."

"They had to run one-two," Baffert said of the finish. "They're two really good horses.

“Game On Dude was getting a little tired, but he needs the competition.

Game On Dude came into the Gold Cup off a 7 1/4-length romp in the Californian Stakes on June 2, his first start since a 12th in the Dubai World Cup.

The Gold Cup is his third G1 win following the Santa Anita Handicap in and the Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita last fall.

The dark bay or brown gelding has banked $2,644,658 while winning eight of 18 races with four seconds and one third.

Baffert said both Game On Dude and Richard's Kid will go to Del Mar but he was unsure of whether Game On Dude would race in the $1 million Pacific Classic.

“We'll take him to Del Mar to see if he likes the track," he said. "Last year, he really didn't train well there.
“If he trains well, I'll run him. If he doesn't, I'll just freshen him up and wait for the fall.

"He loves Santa Anita and the Breeders' Cup has been our goal,"

Richard's Kid won the Pacific Classic in both 2009 and 2010 and is set for the race again.