Game On Dude won the Hollywood Gold Cup (Gr. 1) on Saturday, defending his 2012 title against a field of four other horses at Betfair Hollywood Park. The victory was the third straight for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, his fifth overall.

The 6-year-old gelding took the lead and was challenged by Kettle Corn in the stretch, who came in second. Sky Kingdom, the second Baffert entry, finished third.

As the 1-5 favorite, Game On Dude finished the 1¼ mile race in 2:01.88, giving jockey Mike Smith his fifth victory in the signature race.

“My trip was brilliant,” said Smith. “It went really well. I’m very happy with the outcome. He did what he had to do and seemed to come back really well. I was really confident. I hand rode him. He is a fighter and if you’re going to try to beat him, you’ve got to fly on by him.”

The victory in the $500,000 race helped Game On Dude pass the $5 million mark in earnings. He now has a record of 14 wins in 26 races.

Joe Torre, a co-owner with Bernie Schiappa, the Lanni Family Trust and Mercedes Stables, was pleased with the horse’s performance.

“Mikey just looked so comfortable, he went around in nice fractions coming into the stretch. And if someone was going to beat us, they were going to have to have a heck of an effort at that point. And if that happens, you tip your hat,” said Torre.

Game On Dude carried a weight of 127 lbs., the most since Perrault won the race in 1982. Torre acknowledged that he was confident in Smith’s ability to set the pace of the race.

“It’s like when I used to throw every pitch with the pitcher. And then you realize, what am I doing? Once you do all of your work, you pretty much have to trust somebody. You put it in Mike Smith’s hands and you hope things go the way you’d like to see them go.”

Baffert plans on racing Game On Dude at least one more time before entering the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November.

“Well take him down to Del Mar and see about the Pacific Classic (Gr. 1). He really didn’t train that well there last year, so we’ll see.”

Baffert was pleased with the horse’s effort in what was the last running of the historic race. Earlier this year, management announced that the track would be closed after the fall meet of this year.

“I’m happy to win, but to me it’s a little emotional that it’s not going to be here. There’s so much history here,” said Baffert.

Part of that history includes Lava Man, the first horse since Native Diver to win the Hollywood Gold Cup three years in a row. The 12-year-old gelding led the post-parade for the race before a cheering crowd of 6,493.

After the conclusion of the summer meet on July 14, the park will begin its fall meet Nov. 7.

 

Reach Staff Writer Alex Norwick here.