Awesome Again Stakes Entries: Game On Dude and Richard's Kid meet again

Game On Dude and Richard's Kid, arguably the top two older males in southern California, are set to face off for the third time this year in the $250,000 Awesome Again Stakes (gr. I), which will be run on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

Game On Dude won this nine-furlong race last year, back when it was known as the Goodwood Stakes. A "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), a second consecutive victory would give Game On Dude an imposing record heading into the Classic, where he would have the opportunity to sew up Horse of the Year honors.

Richard's Kid, who is also pointing toward the Classic, will be making his first start over a traditional dirt track since mid-2009. A seven-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid, Richard's Kid finished second to Game On Dude in the Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I) and third to that rival in the Pacific Classic (gr. I), a race in which Game On Dude finished second. Thus, while it is clear that Richard's Kid is not far behind his opponent in terms of talent, Game On Dude does appear to have a slight edge -- especially here at Santa Anita, where he is a perfect 4-for-4.

Rail Trip, winner of the San Diego Handicap (gr. III) and fourth in the Pacific Classic, could also be in contention for a substantial share of the purse. The seven-year-old gelding won the 2009 Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I), but went off-form during the 2011 and is only now returning to his peak.

Nonios, a three-year-old colt that finished second in the Haskell Invitational (gr. I), will be making his debut against older horses, as will fellow sophomores Empire Way and Groovin' Solo. Rounding out the field are Suggestive Boy, a four-time group I winner in South American; Winning Machine, most recently second in the Longacres Mile Handicap (gr. III); and Balladry, who finished third behind Richard's Kid in both the Cougar II Handicap (gr. III) and the Prove It Stakes earlier this year.

Post Positions:

PP	Horse	Weight	Jockey	Trainer
1	Game On Dude	124	Rafael Bejarano	Bob Baffert
2	Winning Machine	119	Javier Matias	Frank Lucarelli
3	Nonios	116	Martin Pedroza	Jerry Hollendorfer
4	Groovin' Solo	116	David Flores	Myung Kwon Cho
5	Suggestive Boy	121	Joe Talamo	Ron McAnally
6	Empire Way	116	Brice Blanc	Mike Harrington
7	Richard's Kid	119	Garrett Gomez	Doug O'Neill
8	Balladry	119	Victor Espinoza	Eoin Harty
9	Rail Trip	119	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	Ron Ellis

-Keelerman