Game on Dude captures Charles Town Classic

The top three were much the best in the CT Classic, as Game on Dude led home Clubhouse Ride (outside) and Ron the Greek (Charles Town/Coady Photography)

Game on Dude proved his mettle and staked his claim to the
top spot in the handicap division Saturday night with a hard fought win over Clubhouse
Ride and Ron the Greek in the Grade 2, $1.5 million
Charles Town Classic.

In addition
to Game on Dude’s win, the evening’s 13 race card produced an all-sources handle
figure of $4,398,984, smashing the previous handle record on a single Charles
Town card by nearly $1 million. The $332,876 wagered on track also represented a
near 25 percent increase over last year’s on-track business.

With a handle record and win by one of the country’s top
handicap horses, the night proved an overwhelming success for the track.

“What a great horse race and a great night,” Vice
President of Racing Operations Erich Zimny said. “We’re thrilled to be able to bring
horses of this quality to Charles Town and be able to best our previous handle
record by nearly $1 million.”

Sent off as the 1-5 favorite, the Game on Dude yet again
repelled a challenge from Clubhouse Ride and a late run from
Ron the Greek to notch the half-length win in the country’s
richest race outside of the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup. The six-year-old
gelding finished 1 1/8 miles on Charles Town’s fast main track in 1:52 1/5 after
tracking a pedestrian early pace of :25 4/5, :49 1/5 and 1:13 1/5 set by
Percussion.

Smith and Torre celebrated in the crowded winner’s circle following Game on Dude’s win (Charles Town/Coady Photography)

“He’s just a workhorse. He does everything. He runs over
everything,” the Hall of Fame rider stated. “He had a bit of trouble
handling the surface today; he was slipping on it especially around the turns.
He’s not used to those tighter turns.

“In the stretch normally, he takes a breather, but on a
track like this I didn’t want to let him to.”

Baseball legend Joe Torre — who co-owns Game on Dude as Diamond Pride LLC
along with Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable LLC and B. Schiappa — made the trip in for the race and was
pleased but admittedly nervous about the outcome.

“My heart was pumping,” Torre said. “It’s a helpless
feeling because you can’t do anything about it, just watch. Sort of the same
thing when Mariano Rivera goes out to the mound. You put your hands in your
pocket and hope for the best.

“Mike Smith has such a great relationship with
Dude. He backed him out. He just wasn’t comfortable and got back in. He’s a
terrific jock.”

Game on Dude paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.20 for his fourth straight graded
victory. Clubhouse Ride, who also finished second to his rival in the San
Antonio and Santa Anita Handicap in their past two meetings, held second by a
nose over last year’s Big ‘Cap winner Ron the Greek, who ran fourth behind the
top two in this year’s edition of that race.

It was 7 1/2 lengths farther back to Percussion in fourth, while defending champion Caixa Eletronica could only muster a fifth-place
finish. Isn’t He Perfect filled out the order under the wire after Mordi’s
Miracle was withdrawn.

Game on Dude now boasts 11 total stakes wins, all against graded competition,
and five graded placings. He’s banked $4,702,158 in career earnings to go along
with his 25-13-5-1 scorecard that includes five victories and three placings in
Grade 1s, including a second in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Classic.