Game On Dude arrives at Churchill; Lukas looking forward to
Clark
The major players for Friday’s Clark Handicap are now in place at Churchill
Downs following the early Wednesday afternoon arrival of morning line favorite
Game On Dude.
Game On Dude, who will attempt to solidify his credentials for consideration
for the Eclipse Awards for champion older male, stepped off a van and onto the
grounds at approximately 1:45 p.m. (EST).
The Bob Baffert-trained star flew from California to Lexington on a flight
that arrived at 11:30 a.m., and then traveled to Louisville by van.
Skies were sunny when Game On Dude’s van arrived, but he was greeted by a
temperature reading of 30 degrees and a stiff breeze that dropped the wind chill
factor to near zero as he walked to his stall in Barn 33.
Baffert assistant Jim Barnes accompanied Game On Dude on his cross-country
journey.
“He traveled very well,” Barnes said. “It was a pretty simple trip, other
than having to ship from Lexington to here. But we’re good. It’s cold, but he’s
happy and fresh.”
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has four career victories in both the
Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, but he will bid for only his second victory in
the Clark Handicap when he saddles Will Take Charge in Friday’s 139th running of
the race.
But there’s good karma for Lukas in in that his only previous win sealed an
Eclipse Award championship for Surfside, who was named top three-year-old filly
of 2000 after she closed that campaign with a victory over older males in the
Clark. Lukas hopes to nail down three-year-old championship honors for Will Take
Charge, whose yearlong body of work is highlighted by wins in the Travers and
the Pennsylvania Derby and a narrow loss to Mucho Macho Man in the Breeders’ Cup
Classic, where Lukas’ colt lost by only a nose.
Will Take Charge drew post seven in the nine-horse field for the Clark, and
Lukas was OK with that development.
“I don’t think it’s too significant, going a mile and an eighth,” Lukas said.
“There’s such a blend of pace and closers that I don’t think it’ll make a lot of
difference. It should be a fair break.”
While most of the pre-race talk focuses on the battle between Will Take
Charge and accomplished older rival Game On Dude, Lukas sees the race as much
more than a one-on-one showdown.
“It’s a good Clark,” Lukas said. “I would say it’s got more depth than some
of them that we’ve had in the last few years. I think it’s a really good bunch.
They’re talking about just those two horses, but there are some other horses in
there that are pretty damn nice.”
The Clark run by Will Take Charge will come 27 days after his big effort in
the Breeders’ Cup, but Lukas has insisted since that race that his colt has
thrived in the days since he returned to his home base at Churchill Downs. Lukas
said that continues to be the case with two days to go before the final run of a
memorable 2013 season for Will Take Charge.
“I’d love to do this,” Lukas said. “You always like to have things end up
well, but I’m optimistic that we’ve made the right decision here. I’m looking
forward to running him — I really am. He’s doing so well — I’m really looking
forward to it.”
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