Champion gelding Game On Dude, the only horse to win three runnings of the G1 Santa Anita Handicap, has been retired.

CHampion gelding Game On Dude, the only horse to win three runnings of the G1 Santa Anita Handicap, has been retired.

Trained by Bob Baffert the popular Game On Dude amassed earnings of nearly $6.5 million from 16 victories, seven seconds and a third in 34 starts.

In addition to his unprecedented three Santa Anita Handicap victories, he became only the second horse in history to sweep California's three G1 handicaps (Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic) in the same year and retires with eight G1 wins and a total of 14 graded stakes victories.

He also boasts wining his third Santa Anita (Big 'Cap) in a near-American record time of 1:58 flat, which was the fastest time in the race's 79-year history and only one-fifth off the track record set by the great Spectacular Bid in 1980.

"It was starting to wear on him a little bit to the point where it's not fun for him anymore,”Baffert said.

“We always felt if he couldn't compete at Grade I level and wasn't enjoying what he was doing, it would be time to retire him.

"He's become such a big pet around the barn. It's really tough.

“I've always told the partners this day would come and we would do the right thing by retiring him."

Baffert said no decision has been made on where Game On Dude will live out the rest of his years.

"We really have no plans," he said. "For now, he's just going to hang around the barn for a while.

“He still gets visitors every day and just to see him there brightens up your day."

Game On Dude will rank with Kelso, Forego and John Henry among the greatest geldings to race in America.