SANTA ANITA H. (gr. I ), Santa Anita Park , March 02, 2013 , $750,000 Guaranteed , value of race $751,000 , 4 yo's & up , 1 1/4 miles , 2:00.14 Dirt FT .

Game On Dude entered into the record book when he became the fourth horse to win two runnings of the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I). The same goes for Game On Dude’s breeder, Frank Stronach, who raced one of the other two-time winners, Milwaukee Brew, in the name Stronach Stables. The other two to pull off a double in the Big ’Cap were John Henry (1981-82) and Lava Man (2006-07).

Stronach bred Game On Dude out of the stakes-winning Devil His Due mare Worldly Pleasure.

Worldly Pleasure was a solid race mare. Bred in Maryland by Robert L. Ingram, Worldly Pleasure carved out a record of 8-4-4 from 31 races and earnings of $183,095. She won the restricted Politely Stakes at Laurel Park and ran third in the Summer King Stakes at Delaware Park, both for owner John V. Alecci.

Worldly Pleasure, who last raced for Barry R. Ostrager, found her way into Stronach’s broodmare band following her retirement from racing. Her first foal was West Spirit, a Smart Strike colt who was a winner in Russia, and her next was Game On Dude.

Worldly Pleasure produced one more foal for Stronach before he sold her at the 2009 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Consigned by Adena Springs in foal to Adena stallion Macho Uno, Worldly Pleasure was bought for $15,000 by K.O.I.D. Co. and sent to Korea.

Game On Dude, whose first Santa Anita Handicap win came in 2011 under 115 pounds in 1:59.47, carried high weight of 125 pounds in this year’s running on his way to a 73/4-length score as the 6-5 favorite in 2:00.14. Game On Dude races for Joe Torre’s Diamond Pride, Lanni Family Trust, Bernie Schiappa, and Ernie Moody’s Mercedes Stable. Mercedes, in partnership with owner/breeder Madeleine Paulson, won the 2005 Santa Anita Handicap with Rock Hard Ten.

Awesome Again has sired 50 stakes winners including additional 2013 added-money winners Golden Mystery (gr. III) and Oxbow (gr. III). Awesome Again stands for $75,000 at Adena Springs near Paris, Ky.—D.S.

CHARLES TOWN CLASSIC S. (gr. II ), Charles Town Races & Slots , April 20, 2013 , $1,500,000 Guaranteed , value of race $1,500,000 , 4 yo's & up , 1 1/8 miles , 1:52.27 Dirt FT .

Adena Springs general manager Eric Hamelback remembers Charles Town Classic Stakes (gr. II) winner Game On Dude as “something special” as a foal. Luckily for the gelding and his connections, he has also become something special on the racetrack.

“From a conformation and athleticism standpoint, he was a pretty big standout,” said Hamelback of the 6-year-old by Awesome Again, who was bred in Kentucky by Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs. “We grade on a letter scale system, and I gave him a strong ‘B’, which is one of the higher grades.”

According to Hamelback, the most impressive trait about Game On Dude as a young horse was his walk.

“I still see it on TV with him walking around the paddock—the way he flows with his head and the way his shoulders move and rock,” he said of Game On Dude, who is now an 11-time graded stakes winner. “He’s just an impressive horse, and I applaud the connections and the way they’ve managed him to become one of the greatest of all time.”

Game On Dude, now a career earner of $4,702,158 with five grade I victories to his credit, is trained by Bob Baffert for retired Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre’s Diamond Pride, the Lanni Family Trust of the late Terry Lanni, Ernie Moody’s Mercedes Stable, and Bernie Schiappa.

The Charles Town Classic winner failed to meet his reserve at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale when the bidding stopped at $210,000. He was consigned by Adena through Hidden Brook, agent.

Game On Dude was raced in his first three starts by Kuehne Racing and trained by Michael Mareina, after which he was transferred to his current connections.

He is the second foal and third winner out of his stakes-winning dam Worldly Pleasure (by Devil His Due), who was bought for $15,000 by K.O.I.D. Co. at the 2009 Keeneland November mixed sale. Consigned by Adena, agent, she was in foal to Macho Uno. Following that transaction, the mare was sent to the Republic of Korea.

Awesome Again is the sire of 52 stakes winners. Among his five added-money winners of 2013 are graded victors Golden Mystery (gr. III) and Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) hopeful Oxbow (gr. III). He stands for $75,000 at Adena Springs Kentucky near Paris.—E.M.