Game On Dude, Midnight Hawk drill in advance of stakes
Game On Dude and Midnight Hawk took a baby step Sunday morning on potentially
Game On Dude, in his final major move for Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 San
Midnight Hawk worked five furlongs in company with Awesome Baby in
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Midnight Hawk started some six to eight lengths behind Awesome Baby, closed
the gap on the far turn, then wore down his stablemate to finish a half-length
in front at the wire. Private clocker Gary Young caught the seven-furlong
gallop-out in 1:26 2/5.
“All systems are go,” Baffert said. “We’re all set.”
Game On Dude could face as few as three rivals in the San Antonio, Santa
Anita’s final stakes steppingstone to the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap
on March 8. In addition to Game On Dude, probable San Antonio entrants include
San Pasqual Stakes winner Blueskiesnrainbows, American Blend and Willyconker.
Trainer Eric Guillot plans to enter former Grade 1 winner and current
claiming horse Willyconker, who has made 30 of his 34 career starts on grass, in
the San Antonio Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on dirt.
The seven-year-old Irish-bred gelding won the Frank E. Kilroe Mile in 2012
when trained by Doug O’Neill. Willyconker has earned $504,156 from a career line
of 34-10-4-3.
“The Arcadia (run Saturday at one mile on turf) was too short; he needs to go
a little bit further,” Guillot said. “Nobody seems to want to take on Game On
Dude, and if I run my horse for fifty ($50,000 claiming), he’s going to win and
he’s gonna be gone.
“So I’ll have done all this work since I claimed him (for $62,500 last May)
for nothing. This way, if I run third in a race worth $300,000, he’ll get
$36,000. If I run second, that’s $60,000. And if I win, I’ll look like a hero.”
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