Breeders' Cup 2012 Results: Game on Dude Finishes 7th in Disappointing Race

Game On Dude came into Breeders' Cup Classic with high aspirations, but left with only disappointment. 

The horse was the overwhelming favorite heading into the race at better than 2-1 odds. By the time the race started, the odds rose all the way to 7-5. It finished second in last year's Classic in a narrow loss to Drosselmeyer, and was expected to improve upon that mark this time.

Unfortunately, it was only able to finish in seventh place.

Legendary trainer Bob Baffert once again failed to exceed expectations in a high-profile event. He has led horses to three Kentucky Derby wins, five at the Preakness Stakes and one at the Belmont.

However, just as often his entries lose after starting the race as favorites, like Bodemeister in the most recent Kentucky Derby.

In addition, he has never won the Breeders' Cup Classic, which is often described as the most competitive horse race in the world.

The expectations for Game On Dude were not without reason. Besides a second-place finish at the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic, it also had a fourth-place finish at the 2010 Preakness Stakes. It had won four of its six races this year and had never lost at Santa Anita Park.

In the main event, however, it looked like a completely different horse. 

Game On Dude was never in contention, sitting in the middle of the pack throughout the race. Going onto the final turn, jockey Rafael Bejarano never made a move towards the front.

Instead, Fort Larned was much more impressive by holding a wire-to-wire lead and dominating throughout. The only other horse with a chance was Mucho Macho Man, but Fort Larned held it off for the win.

The favorite had a chance to finish off a big year by winning the $5 million purse, but Game On Dude was simply not up to the task with everything on the line.

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