Game on Dude game in winning the Charles Town Classic
Game on Dude was able to hold off some very game challengers on Saturday night to win the $1,500,000 Charles Town Classic at Charles Town. Sent off as the prohibitive 1/5 favorite, Game on Dude (BetPTC.com Top Selection) and Mike Smith went out early on with long shot Percussion who set the early pace through very moderate fractions. Game on Dude made his move after the lead going into the final turn and kicked away, but coming into the stretch, both Clubhouse Ride and Ron The Greek came roaring after the leader inside the final sixteenth, but Game On Dude held on by a diminishing half-length. Clubhouse Ride finished just a nose ahead of Ron The Greek (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) who ran third. The win pushed Game on Dude over $5,000,000 in career earnings for trainer Bob Baffert and an ownership group that includes Baseball legend Joe Torre. Dance To Bristol turned in a huge effort, winning the Sugar Maple Stakes by nine lengths over race favorite Holiday Soiree.
Winning Cause closes in to win the Coolmore Lexington at Keeenland
Winning Cause (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) and Julian Leparoux were able to close in from off the pace to win the $200,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday and pick up those precious 20 Kentucky Derby points. Sent off at odds of 6/1, Winning Cause sat back in fifth early on as River Rocks went out to control the pace early on. Cerro made a move after the lead, but as they straightened into the home stretch, Leparoux and Winning Cause burst to the lead on the outside. Longshot General Election (BetPTC.com Longshot) came running after Winning Cause, but Winning Cause was able to hold on by a length. The exacta came back worth $393 for every two dollars bet.
In the Giants Causeway it was Sweet Cassiopeia (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) and Joe Rocco Jr. put in a huge run, drawing off to win late by a length and a quarter. Spun Cap (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) ran up into the lead and took command into the lane, but couldn’t hold off the late charge of Sweet Cassiopeia. Sounds of the City (BetPTC.com Top Selection) rounded out the trifecta and Sensible Lady (BetPTC.com Longshot) completed a superfecta worth $501.20.
Departing overcomes wide draw to win the Illinois Derby
Departing isn’t likely going to go to the Kentucky Derby, but he proved much the best on Saturday as he overcame the 13 hole to win the $750,000 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne. Sent off as the 9/5 favorite, Departing (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) and Brian Hernandez Jr. were as far as six wide when they went into the far turn, but they consistently gained on Taken By the Storm who had the lead for much of the early going. Departing roared to the lead at the top of the lane and was able to easily hold off the late rallies of long shot Fordubai (BetPTC.com Longshot) and Siete De Oro (BetPTC.com Top Selection) who ran second and third. The BetPTC.com trifecta came back worth $673.20 for every $2. Disposablepleasure (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) and Brushed By A Star (BetPTC.com Top Selection) ran 1-2 in the Sixty Sails Stakes, but it was Disposablepleasure who drew off at the top of the lane and was able to win by three and a half lengths.