The massively overrated Game On Dude. . ..

[Man o Taz]

But wouldn't that suggest distance limitations?

Maybe he should be in the 8-9 furlong type races exclusively.

It does not mean that he gives up or throws in the towel - or that he is not a quality horse - it just means that he has been outrunning his ability.

He is not a 10 furlong horse - but for not being a 10 furlong horse - he certainly has more wins at that distance than any other - because his connections pick and choose his races really well.

To me this is a compliment to the horse and not a criticism.

It is similar to a female stepping up to face males and winning. OK - maybe she cannot face and beat males day in and day out - but the fact that she can compete in open company against the best of the best makes her special.

Game On Dude has distance limitations. Perhaps his trainer and connections know this and as a result were trying to put their horse in the best position to win. And they have. He has had a very successful 2013. But the really interesting point is that he has 5 10 furlong wins - which is more 10 furlong wins than any of the main track horses who have beaten him at this distance have.

Acclamation - 1 - main track
Fort Larned - 1
Mucho Macho Man - 1
First Dude - 1
Dullahan - 1
Drosselmeyer - 3
Monterosso - 4

Acclamation I believe has six or seven wins at 10 furlongs or more but many are on turf.

This is to his credit - since as some of us suggest - he may not be a 10 furlong horse. Heck, to win 5 G1s at a distance that may not be your ideal distance - that's saying something.

His record at 10 furlongs is 11-5-3-0.

I think this is a really interesting discussion.

[peeptoad]

But wouldn't that suggest distance limitations?

Maybe he should be in the 8-9 furlong type races exclusively.

It does not mean that he gives up or throws in the towel - or that he is not a quality horse - it just means that he has been outrunning his ability.

He is not a 10 furlong horse - but for not being a 10 furlong horse - he certainly has more wins at that distance than any other - because his connections pick and choose his races really well.

To me this is a compliment to the horse and not a criticism.

It is similar to a female stepping up to face males and winning. OK - maybe she cannot face and beat males day in and day out - but the fact that she can compete in open company against the best of the best makes her special.

Game On Dude has distance limitations. Perhaps his trainer and connections know this and as a result were trying to put their horse in the best position to win. And they have. He has had a very successful 2013. But the really interesting point is that he has 5 10 furlong wins - which is more 10 furlong wins than any of the main track horses who have beaten him at this distance have.

Fort Larned - 1
Mucho Macho Man - 1
First Dude - 1
Dullahan - 1
Drosselmeyer - 3
Monterosso - 4

Acclamation I believe has six or seven wins at 10 furlongs or more.

This is to his credit - since as some of us suggest - he may not be a 10 furlong horse. Heck, to win 5 G1s at a distance that may not be your ideal distance - that's saying something.

His record at 10 furlongs is 11-5-3-0.

I think this is a really interesting discussion.

He seems okay at 10F, but it's not his best distance imo. And I don't think that means he should race exclusively in races under 10, but it's helped his cause to have a higher percentage of G1 10F races than any other part of the country occur in CA. This is evidenced in the piece from your post below:

Game On Dude has distance limitations. Perhaps his trainer and connections know this and as a result were trying to put their horse in the best position to win. And they have. He has had a very successful 2013. But the really interesting point is that he has 5 10 furlong wins - which is more 10 furlong wins than any of the main track horses who have beaten him at this distance have.

[curtis]

Game On Dude reminds me a lot of both Riva Ridge and Precisionist.  Both of those horses were speed horses who were usually done in, when they lost, by their connections over thinking or in Lucien Lauren's case not thinking clearly.  You could even add Ruhlman before Whittingham got him and just let him roll.  Baffert and Smith should have just let him roll away from the gate and go after the lead.  His best chance was to get the lead clear and that was taken away from him.  As far as big races go I'll say the same thing I always said about Precisionist, who was often accused of not being able to win the big ones, Game On Dude doesn't know if he's in the BCC or a 10k claimer.  It's the people preparing him who know.

[Dave in TJ Mex]

Game On Dude reminds me a lot of both Riva Ridge and Precisionist.  Both of those horses were speed horses who were usually done in, when they lost, by their connections over thinking or in Lucien Lauren's case not thinking clearly.  You could even add Ruhlman before Whittingham got him and just let him roll.  Baffert and Smith should have just let him roll away from the gate and go after the lead.  His best chance was to get the lead clear and that was taken away from him.  As far as big races go I'll say the same thing I always said about Precisionist, who was often accused of not being able to win the big ones, Game On Dude doesn't know if he's in the BCC or a 10k claimer.  It's the people preparing him who know.

Well, you are correct that GOD doesn't actually know when he is in a big race.

But he knows when he is in a big race because that is when he is facing stiff, high quality competition. 

He knows because turning for home, he doesn't have a clear easy lead, but instead, has horses ahead or abrest of him! 

That is his signal to spit out the bit! 

[curtis]

Game On Dude reminds me a lot of both Riva Ridge and Precisionist.  Both of those horses were speed horses who were usually done in, when they lost, by their connections over thinking or in Lucien Lauren's case not thinking clearly.  You could even add Ruhlman before Whittingham got him and just let him roll.  Baffert and Smith should have just let him roll away from the gate and go after the lead.  His best chance was to get the lead clear and that was taken away from him.  As far as big races go I'll say the same thing I always said about Precisionist, who was often accused of not being able to win the big ones, Game On Dude doesn't know if he's in the BCC or a 10k claimer.  It's the people preparing him who know.

Well, you are correct that GOD doesn't actually know when he is in a big race.

But he knows when he is in a big race because that is when he is facing stiff, high quality competition. 

He knows because turning for home, he doesn't have a clear easy lead, but instead, has horses ahead or abrest of him! 

That is his signal to spit out the bit! 

I get all that but does he not have that clear lead because he can't get it or he is not being sent for fear of being fried on the lead?  I think it is the latter.  You sound old enough to remember Ancient Title.  Most now think he was a sprinter because of the Grade 1 that bore his name for many years.  If you remember him though, you know he was a horse who could get 10f in a Grade 1 running very much like Game On Dude runs in his successful races.  As Ancient Title aged, Keith Stucki and Sandy Hawley, who was his regular rider at the time, thought that being on the engine was too tough on him so they rated him.  His inconsistent performances were mostly attributed to age (if you truly are old enough to remember Ancient Title you'll know what that means from personal experience  ).  At Del Mar in 1977, Darrell McHargue climbed on a 7-year-old Ancient Title with the idea of sending him and making a very good field come and get him in the Del Mar Handicap which was the equivalent of today's Pacific Classic--minus about 60 feet.  Ancient Title ran the field off their feet and won by open lengths.  After that with either McHargue or Shoemaker up, Ancient Title became rejuvenated until his career ended.  In the world according to me, if Game On Dude goes in the Clark, Bobby and Mike should come out with guns a blazin'!

[pointgivenfan]

Looking at the prospective field, I don't think the guns will even need to be particularly blazing.

[Man o Taz]

He seems okay at 10F, but it's not his best distance imo. And I don't think that means he should race exclusively in races under 10, but it's helped his cause to have a higher percentage of G1 10F races than any other part of the country occur in CA. This is evidenced in the piece from your post below:

Game On Dude has distance limitations. Perhaps his trainer and connections know this and as a result were trying to put their horse in the best position to win. And they have. He has had a very successful 2013. But the really interesting point is that he has 5 10 furlong wins - which is more 10 furlong wins than any of the main track horses who have beaten him at this distance have.

I agree. There is no reason to not enter him in those races, particularly since his connections appear interested in running for the top money races and oftentimes the 10 furlong main track races have the biggest purses.

That said, I would like to see him race more at 9 furlongs and even at a mile.  He had two 9 furlong races last year. Four the year before. And in 2011 two 9 furlong races and two 8.5 furlong races. In those 10 races I believe he was 8-1-0. Not a bad winning percentage. Of course, then we'll get the response that he was not facing very tough fields because only 3 of the ten were outside of California.

 

[General Assembly]

As much as everyone seems to talk smack about this horse, he only lost ONE race in a year. He has a weakness, yes, but who else in his division even comes close to what he has accomplished over the past three years? As much as Baffert said he did better with more time off, I think the break between the Pacific and Breeders Cup Classics was just a bit too much. He might not have taken the big race, but I think his overall resume this year still warrants the Eclipse for his division.

[Vic in Chicago]

As much as everyone seems to talk smack about this horse, he only lost ONE race in a year. He has a weakness, yes, but who else in his division even comes close to what he has accomplished over the past three years? As much as Baffert said he did better with more time off, I think the break between the Pacific and Breeders Cup Classics was just a bit too much. He might not have taken the big race, but I think his overall resume this year still warrants the Eclipse for his division.

Not to nitpick, but the Eclipse is a one-year, not three-year, award.  And if by "division" you mean "older male", how do you rate him ahead of Wise Dan?  Dan also lost only one race all year, on a last-minute change of surface, and at least he was a fighting second (and won his second BC).  GOD, who I certainly agree had a good year overall, spit the bit in his biggest race.  Just my opinion, but advantage Dan. 

[Dave in TJ Mex]

As much as everyone seems to talk smack about this horse, he only lost ONE race in a year. He has a weakness, yes, but who else in his division even comes close to what he has accomplished over the past three years? As much as Baffert said he did better with more time off, I think the break between the Pacific and Breeders Cup Classics was just a bit too much. He might not have taken the big race, but I think his overall resume this year still warrants the Eclipse for his division.

Not to nitpick, but the Eclipse is a one-year, not three-year, award.  And if by "division" you mean "older male", how do you rate him ahead of Wise Dan?  Dan also lost only one race all year, on a last-minute change of surface, and at least he was a fighting second (and won his second BC).  GOD, who I certainly agree had a good year overall, spit the bit in his biggest race.  Just my opinion, but advantage Dan.

Preach, brother!

[General Assembly]

I will preface this by saying that Wise Dan is (and has been for the past two years) my favorite horse in training. Last year I could make a case for Dan to get the older male as he won on more than one surface, but since this year he focused solely on turf I personally do not believe he belongs in discussion for that title. He is the top turf male again and he should take the division and Horse of the Year again. This year Game on Dude was considered the top older male from January until his flop in the Cup and I still think he should take the Eclipse.

[Man o Taz]

Older male traditionally goes to a main track horse UNLESS there is no worthy main track horse and a stand out turf horse.

Some may argue that there is no worthy main track older male. I can understand that argument because GOD did not perform in the BC Classic.

I take the opinion that one race does not decide it for me.

GOD campaigned from early February to late November.

Wise Dan had a second remarkable year campaigning from mid-April to early November.

He is worthy of Horse of the Year. However, I think older male goes to Game On Dude.   

[Vic in Chicago]

Older male traditionally goes to a main track horse UNLESS there is no worthy main track horse and a stand out turf horse.

Some may argue that there is no worthy main track older male. I can understand that argument because GOD did not perform in the BC Classic.

I take the opinion that one race does not decide it for me.

GOD campaigned from early February to late November.

Wise Dan had a second remarkable year campaigning from mid-April to early November.

He is worthy of Horse of the Year. However, I think older male goes to Game On Dude.   

If you take the position that the Older Male Eclipse should go to the best dirt horse (not illogical since there is a separate turf horse award), no question Dude is the one.

[Charlie]

Older male traditionally goes to a main track horse UNLESS there is no worthy main track horse and a stand out turf horse.

Some may argue that there is no worthy main track older male. I can understand that argument because GOD did not perform in the BC Classic.

One race should not cause all his wins to be ignored. I get it, he didn't just lose but flopped but still if one race can make him unworthy of Older horse, then something is wrong with picture in my opinion.. same with Mucho Macho Man getting older horse off one win (since some were mentioning him).

[Vic in Chicago]

Actually, despite my disappointment (and criticism) of The Dude in the BC, I'm a big fan of his.  And I hope he comes out smokin' Friday at CD and - at least partially - redeems himself.

He's in PP #1, so I hope Mike Smith guns him out right to the front, and he wires the field, as he did so many times this year.

The Clark is really interesting this year because two Eclipse Awards may be on the line.  If the Dude wins, he probably wins best older horse.  And if Will Take Charge wins, he probably wins best 3-year-old.

Go Dude!