Game Winner Works Toward Santa Anita Derby
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Photo: Coady Photography
Game Winner is expected to make his next start in the Santa Anita Derby April 6 at Santa Anita Park
Gary and Mary West's champion Game Winner worked a six-furlong drill for trainer Bob Baffert April 1 at Santa Anita Park. The work was the final for the 3-year-old colt before his expected start in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (G1) April 6.
Working inside of stablemate There and Back, the son of Candy Ride breezed a bullet six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 Monday morning, the best of 11 at the distance. There and Back was clocked at 1:13 3/5.
"It went really well," said Baffert. "We did just enough. He's already pretty fit so it was a nice move on his part. He came back and handled it well so we're just really looking forward to Saturday."
The work was the second for the colt over the Southern California surface since his runner-up finish March 16 in the second division of the split Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park.
The Rebel marked the only loss for Game Winner in five starts. The colt burst onto the scene at 2, clinching three grade 1 scores back-to-back in the Del Mar Futurity (G1), American Pharoah Stakes (G1), and Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). The talented bay was awarded the Eclipse Award for champion 2-year-old colt of 2018.
With a total of 45 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, Game Winner currently sits in 10th place on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard.