Game On Dude Attempts Santa Anita Gold Cup Hat Trick

Santa Anita Gold Cup (GI) 2014; Game On Dude Attempts Santa Anita Gold Cup Hat Trick: The 75th edition of the 2014 Santa Anita Gold Cup takes place Saturday, June 28th at Santa Anita Racecourse in Arcadia, California. The race was previously known as the Hollywood Gold Cup and was run at Betfair Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. Last summers edition was the final one to take place at Hollywood Park after shuttering their doors last December.

The Gold Cup will air on NBCSN from 7-8 pm EDT and is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In” race that will award the winner an automatic berth to the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 2nd, 2014.

The Santa Anita Gold Cub is run over the distance of 1 ¼ miles on the dirt with a purse of $500,000 for the winner. It is open to three-year-olds and up and is one of the top races on the West Coast along with the Santa Anita Handicap and the Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar.

This is a (GI) race inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 and was switched to weight-for-ages conditions. In 2005, the Gold Cub returned to the original format.

Only three fillies or mares have won the Gold Cup, with the last one being as far back as 1968, when Princessnesian won. You can also add to that list Two Lea in 1952 and Happy Issue, who was the first, in 1944. In 1980, Mary Lou Tuck became the first female trainer to win the Gold Cup with Go West Young Man. The first female jockey to win this race was Chantal Sutherland who saddled Game On Dude in 2012. She was also onboard him during the 2011 edition where they lost by a nose to First Dude.

Fourteen top racehorses have won this race including: Citation, Affirmed, Round Table, Cigar, Swaps, Seabiscuit, Skip Away, Gallant Man, Challedon, Ack Ack, Native Diver, Noor, Two Lea and Exceller.

Track records for time are held by Quack in 1972 on the dirt in 1:58.2, equaling the world record, and Rail Trip holds the record for the Cushion Track set in 2009 going 2:00.75. The most wins are tied at 3 for Native Diver and Lava Man. Game On Dude can be added to that list if he wins Saturday.

The 2014 Santa Anita Gold Cup has a start time of 4:30 pm, PST and is the 8th race of the day on a card of 10 following the Senorita Stakes.

Last weekend we tackled the Santa Anita Summertime Oaks picking the winner JoJo Warrior. I was very happy she finally nailed a stakes win. Sigi’s play hit, the $4.00 pick 3 for $350.20 and I’m very thankful I played it as well as mine. I nailed both of daily doubles the $12.00 paid $127.20 and the $8.00 paid $60.20. Way to go team! Thank you Sigi. Time to tackle the Gold Cup.

Sigi’s Picks and Plays:

In The Santa Anita Gold Cup, obviously the horse to beat is Game On Dude. He loves Santa Anita and maybe he lost his last race he just didn’t like the Charles Town Track. I think he’s going to run in second position, just waiting until the speedy Fury Kapcori fades. If he trys to keep up with “Fury”, this will benefit Imperative. The son of Bernardini knows how to beat Game On Dude and is really dangerous in this race.

Sigi’s Plays: I’m playing a $1 pick 3 starting with Race #7: 2,8/1,4/1,4,8 $12.00.

Kari’s Picks and Plays:

I’ll start with the illustrious Game On Dude who is looking to take this race for the third year in a row. A win by the 7 year-old son of Awesome Again in Saturdays race will stamp the old boy as the leader in the chase for the Horse Of The Year. In his last four starts he has one (G1) victory in the Santa Anita Handicap “Big Cap” on March 8th, 2014. In that race, he beat one of the best fields assembled this year to date in a dominating performance. Prior, on February 8th, he had the speed dual with Blueskiesnrainbows where the Dude finished 5th and Blueskies 6th in the San Antonio Handicap (GII). Last out this Bob Baffert trainee ran 2nd to Imperative, whom he also faces in this race, in the Charles Town Classic (GII) going 1 1/8 on April 19th. Game On Dude breaks from the rail with Mike Smith on board. On his home track at Santa Anita, he’s pretty much the boss, so game on!

I’m also digging the 4 year old son of Tiznow Fury Kapcori to run huge. He seems to be figuring this racing thing out with his return to dirt. He hasn’t been off the board this year. Starting in January he’s racked up 3 wins and a 2nd at Santa Anita. Last out he was 2nd to Clubhouse Ride in the (GII) Californian going 1 1 1/8 miles where he broke fast to set the pace and led most of the way to lose in the stretch, fighting gamely I might add. Prior, he won the (GII) Precisionist Stakes at Santa Anita going 1 1/16 miles on May 3rd and won the Santana Mile at Santa Anita on March 30th. He loves to be out front so we’ll see how far is wants to go as this is his first time at the 1 1/4 mile distance. Nakatani is off and Gary Stevens gets the mount from post #2.

Majestic Harbor was third behind Clubhouse Ride and Fury Kapcori in the Californian at 1 1/8 miles on May 31, rolling in late. Prior to that, the 6-year-old Rockport Harbor son won the 1 1/2 miles Tokyo City Cup on March 29th at Santa Anita. He recently worked a bullet 5F on June 22nd in 58.80, 1/67 and galloped out 6F in 1:11 with fractional times of :23 for the first quarter mile and :47.30 for the half. I think the distance will be right up his alley and if the pace tanks, he could be right there to pick up a piece. Majestic Harbor has stall #6 with Tyler Baze in the irons.

Kari’s Plays: I’m thinking Game On Dude is going to be really tough to beat. With Fury Kapcori to his outside, Mike Smith should bide his time tracking him, if possible, then swoop in after 6 furlongs to hit. The Dude loves this distance and has no problem with quick fractions. Underestimating Fury is also dangerous and I don’t think the distance will be a problem for him. Should the pace collapse, which I doubt, I’m going for Majestic Harbor to hit, just in case. Maybe Hollendorfer won’t send Fury to the lead and they’ll track the Dude in soft fractions for place money? Food for thought.

Another interesting horse for me is the #7 Lideris, who is co-nominated in Sunday’s San Juan Capistrano. I like him better for that race on the turf at 1 3/4 miles. If he opts out of the Gold Cup and runs Sunday, he’s getting money across from me, win/place/show.

I’m going to play a $1 pick 3 starting Race #6 1,7/7,8/1,2,6 $12.00.

Thank you Sigi for taking the time again to handicap and play this race. I’ll also play Sigi’s pick 3 for good measure. Good luck!

Related Links:
Get to know Salto del Indio
Santa Anita Gold Cup Events
Get to know Lideris

2014 Santa Anita Gold Cup Post Positions & Odds
1. Game On Dude 4-5 M.Smith/B.Baffert
2. Fury Kapcori 9-2 G.Stevens/J.Hollendorfer
3. Clubhouse Ride 9-2 J.Talamo/C.Lewis
4. Imperative 8-1 K.Desormeaux/G.Papaprodromou
5. Salto Del Indio 8-1 B.Blanc/M.Puype
6. Majestic Harbor 12-1 T.Baze/S.McCarthy
7. Lideris 20-1 C.J.Enriquez/P.Milller