US Weekend Preview: Game On at Charles Town

Game On Dude runs at Charles Town on Saturday

Graeme North looks at this weekend's action from Kentucky, Illinois and West Virginia.

Charles Town host their biggest meeting of the year on Saturday when the highlight is the G2 Charles Town Classic (off 22:30 local time, 03:30 BST) which despite its $1,500,000 purse has attracted just seven runners. In short this looks at the mercy of Game On Dude who is making a rare foray away from his Californian base where he is pretty mush unbeatable. Bob Baffert's  runner regularly achieves Timeform ratings in the high 120s and only Ron The Greek among his six opponents here is capable of that sort of figure and even then only when getting a very strongly-run race. That scenario seems extremely unlikely on this occasion - Game On Dude, who has looked better than ever since being partnered by Mike Smith on his last three starts, shouldn't have any trouble assuming his normal position at the head of affairs given the absence of anything likely to head him early and he should be able to dominate as he likes over this tight turning track in a bid to go one better than in 2011. Ron The Greek looked as good as ever at Gulfstream in January before finishing well behind Game On Dude last time but, as then, lacks his ideal pace scenario and also has no experience round here. In the circumstances the speedier Caixa Eletronica may be the one for the exacta. He usually races at six or seven furlongs but Charles Town is a highly speed-favouring track and he had no trouble with the trip here last year when running out a 3-length winner. That was a weaker race than this one, admittedly, but his tactical speed might well make up for his slight shortfall in ability relative to Ron The Greek on this occasion. 

The field for the Kentucky Derby has pretty much taken shape - Verrazano is top on Timeform ratings on 125p after his Tampa Bay Derby form was boosted by Java's War win in the G1 Blue Grass at Keeneland last weekend, followed by Orb and Normandy Invasion - but there is a chance for something to stake a late claim this week with the penultimate race in the Derby qualifying series, the G3 Coolmore Lexington Stakes (17:13, 22:13 BST) over eight and a half furlongs at Keeneland. If the Lexington goes to form it seems the Derby picture will remain unchanged as the horse with the best credentials, at least on 2012 form, is Pure Fun, a filly whose target after this if she wins will almost certainly be the Kentucky Oaks. She won a G1 last year on the cushion track at Betfair Hollywood Park but was a long way below her best on her reappearance at Turfway Park in a race in which she looked to hold outstanding claims and clearly has a bit to prove. Cerro wasn't discredited behind Orb last time out in the Fountain of Youth while Pick Of The Litter ought to step up on his midfield finish in the Florida Derby where he was soon poorly placed in a moderately-run race, but if there is a runner capable of going well at long odds it might be River Rocks who has won two of his four starts and improved again despite finishing second last time at Gulfstream. He had three next-time-out winners behind him that day and the winner has since gone to run very well in a Listed contest at Oaklawn. A front-runner who broke his maiden over six furlongs two starts back, he doesn't face much obvious pressure for the early lead and could prove hard to peg back. 

There are a couple of Graded races on a decent card at Hawthorne too with the pick of them the G3 Illinois Derby (17:15, 23:15 BST) over nine furlongs. Joint top rated on Timeform ratings, 3lb clear of the remainder, are Siete de Oros and Departing, both of whom have been placed in better company this year. Siete de Oros has finished in the frame in three Graded races at Aqueduct and should be hard to keep out of the frame once again but Departing has shown form just as good, has a more progressive profile, is more lightly-raced having had just four starts and perhaps more pertinently, raced closer to a strong pace last time out in the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds than those in the frame alongside him. He's been put in at 4.5 on the Morning Line but in a field plenty of which look to be making up numbers that's still a fair price.

The G3 Sixty Sails Handicap (16:35, 22:35 BST) contested by older fillies and mares over nine furlongs doesn't have such an attractive betting shape to it. Disposablepleasure and Brushed By A Star have the best form by some margin but that is reflected in the Morning Line prices and picking between them in a race in which their rivals are all stepping up in grade in isn't easy seeing as neither has been at their best in their last two races.   

Recommendation

1pt win Departing in the Illinois Derby