Newmarket, England: The combination of Chantal Sutherland and Game On Dude is a serious challenger in the Dubai World Cup.
Miss Sutherland, a native of Canada widely accepted as the best female jockey in North America, has partnered the Bob Baffert trained Game On Dude in his five most recent races, and she was also the pilot when this gelding broke through at the highest level by winning the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) in California early in the 2011 season.
Game On Dude took that race by only a nose, and more close finishes were to follow for this battling runner. He lost by a nose, to his stable companion First Dude, when they filled first and second in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) in Los Angeles last July, and half a length was the margin when Game On Dude beat Awesome Gem to take the Goodwood Stakes (G1) back at Santa Anita in October.
This set him up for a trip to Churchill Downs in Kentucky the following month, to take part in the valuable Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) — North America's biggest all-aged horserace.
Chantal Sutherland also travelled eastward to the ‘Bluegrass State', as Baffert had no plans to change jockeys on the big occasion.
Sticking to the winning formula paid off, as Chantal rode a superb race at the Breeders' Cup, leading from start to finish.
Game On Dude led the 12-runner field and when he flashed into the home straight it was clear that he had plenty more to give.
He fended off attack after attack down the long home straight. Until another longshot, the little respected Drosselmeyer came flying from the back. He proved too strong in the dying strides and went by for a 1 1/2-length win.
Chantal Sutherland had just ridden the best race of her career, yet lost, but the way she handled the big occasion gave her international recognition.
Game On Dude thus closed out his 2011 campaign with huge effort and he was given a lengthy rest after the Breeders' Cup.
Baffert got him ready for a return to racing action at Santa Anita in February, in the nine-furlong San Antonio Stakes (G2), where he was an overwhelming favourite. Sutherland had no worries this time. She guided Game On Dude (or was it the other way around?) to a comfortable 5 1/4-length win over the race fit Uh Oh Bango, a smart horse who had captured the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) on his preceding start.
Uh Oh Bango gave the San Antonio form another boost when finishing third in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) next time out. That was the race Baffert bypassed with Game On Dude, in order to make the trip to Dubai. Judged on his reappearance run, when Game On Dude produced a career best Globeform 122, he is even better this year.
His profile is very much that of a thoroughbred getting gradually better with age. Aged five, he is just the right type to make an impact in the Dubai World Cup.
Geir Stabell is the editor of Globeform, a Newmarket-based independent racing and handicapping publication.
