Game On Dude arrived at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races April 16 in anticipation of a start in the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic (gr. II) April 20 at the West Virginia track.
Meanwhile, Ron the Greek was scheduled to van from Payson Park in Florida April 17 for a scheduled start in the Classic, Charles Town officials said.
The Classic this year offers $1 million to the winner.
Game On Dude, the two-time Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) winner owned by Diamond Pride, Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable, and Bernie Schiappa, traveled for seven hours and 2,700 miles from California. The Bob Baffert trainee boarded a Tex Sutton flight in Ontario, Calif., at 5 a.m. PDT; the flight made a stop in Lexington before touching down in Martinsburg, W.Va., a little after 1:30 p.m. EDT.
Accompanied by Baffert's assistant, Jim Barnes, the 6-year-old Awesome Again gelding was joined on the Ontario-to-Lexington leg of his journey by several of his stablemates, including Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) hopeful Govenor Charlie and Midnight Lucky, who is expected to compete in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I).
Game On Dude was joined on the flight by Santa Anita Handicap runner-up Clubhouse Ride, who is expected for the Charles Town Classic, and grade I winner Book Review, who will start for Baffert in the $200,000 Sugar Maple Stakes presented by CANTER Mid-Atlantic on the Classic undercard.
Ron the Greek, trained by Bill Mott and owned by Brous Stable, Wachtel Stable, and Jack Hammer, won the Sunshine Millions Classic earlier this year and then finished fourth in the Santa Anita Handicap. Ron the Greek is a 6-year-old horse by Full Mandate.
Entries for the Charles Town Classic card will be taken and drawn April 17.
